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Review
. 2021 Nov 15;13(11):2283.
doi: 10.3390/v13112283.

18F-FDG-PET Imaging for Post-COVID-19 Brain and Skeletal Muscle Alterations

Thorsten Rudroff  1   2 , Craig D Workman  1 , Laura L Boles Ponto  3
Affiliations
Review

18F-FDG-PET Imaging for Post-COVID-19 Brain and Skeletal Muscle Alterations

Thorsten Rudroff et al. Viruses. .

Abstract

Scientific evidence concerning the subacute and long-term effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is on the rise. It has been established that infection by serious acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a systemic process that involves multiple organs. The complications and long-term consequences of COVID-19 are diverse and patients need a multidisciplinary treatment approach in the acute and post-acute stages of the disease. A significant proportion of COVID-19 patients experience neurological manifestations, some enduring for several months post-recovery. However, brain and skeletal muscle changes resultant from SARS CoV-2 infection remain largely unknown. Here, we provide a brief overview of the current knowledge, and usefulness, of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) to investigate brain and skeletal muscles changes in Post-COVID-19 patients with persistent symptoms. Furthermore, a brief discussion of future 18F-FDG-PET/CT applications that might advance the current knowledge of the pathogenesis of post-COVID-19 is also provided.

Keywords: PET; brain; glucose uptake; hypometabolism; muscle; post-COVID.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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