Fig. 2
[18F]FDG PET/CT of a previously healthy 49-year-old man on the 14th day of acute COVID-19, with respiratory failure and no neurological symptoms, except for anosmia and ageusia. Whole-body maximum intensity projection (MIP) image (A) and coronal PET/CT image fusion of the chest (B) show marked tracer uptake in the inflamed lungs. MIP (C) and axial PET/CT image fusion of the brain (D) show marked bilateral tracer uptake in lenticular nuclei. Axial plane of automatic delimitation of lenticular nuclei is shown in E. Quantification data displayed on a rainbow color scale as standard deviation (#StdDev) of the mean uptake of a normal database demonstrate increased glucose metabolism in lenticular nuclei and thalami (red in F). Quantification values were as high as 5.7 StdDev above the control group on the right lenticular nucleus (4.5 on the left) and 6.2 on the left thalamus (4.4 on the right). Also note mild reduction of brain glucose metabolism in neocortical areas (light blue color in F), especially in frontal lobes. The patient progressively recovered, was discharged after 7 days and followed up for 13 months, without presenting any neurological symptom or sequelae