COVID-19 and acute pulmonary embolism: what should be considered to indicate a computed tomography pulmonary angiography scan?

Bruno Lima Moreira; Pablo Rydz Pinheiro Santana; Gláucia Zanetti; Edson  Marchiori

doi:10.1590/0037-8682-0267-2020

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Bruno Lima Moreira BP Medicina Diagnóstica - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8768-8204
Pablo Rydz Pinheiro Santana BP Medicina Diagnóstica - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil; Grupo Fleury, São Paulo, SP, Brasil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7070-8878
Gláucia Zanetti Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Edson Marchiori Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8797-7380

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0267-2020

Keywords:

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), Computed tomography angiography

Abstract

The full spectrum of COVID-19 is still emerging, although several studies have highlighted that patients infected with the novel coronavirus can potentially develop a hypercoagulable state. However, several aspects related to the incidence and pathophysiology of the association between COVID-19 and pulmonary embolism are not well established. Here, we present a case of a patient with COVID-19 who developed acute pulmonary embolism. Clinical and laboratory data and findings of non-enhanced CT indicate possibility of acute pulmonary embolism, and support the decision to proceed with computed tomography pulmonary angiography that can objectively identify filling defects in pulmonary arterial branches.