Simultaneous Giant cavity pulmonary lesion and pneumothorax following COVID-19 pneumonia

• Main Authors: Ramezan Jafari, PhD, Luca Cegolon, MD, MSc, PhD, Houshyar Masghsoudi, PhD, Shi Zhao, PhD, Saeid Fathi, PhD, Leila Khedmat, PhD, Mohammad Javanbakht, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2021-09-01
• Series: Radiology Case Reports
• Subjects: COVID-19; Lung; Pneumothorax; Cavitary
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043321004039

Cavitary lung formation with spontaneous pneumothorax has been rarely reported as a complication of COVID-19 pneumonia. We report a rare case of a 38 years-old male patient affected by COVID-19 pneumonia, exceptionally complicated by a simultaneous giant cavity in the right upper lung and a small right pneumothorax in the right hemithorax. Whilst pneumothorax emphysema, giant bullae and pneumothorax with alveolar rupture are known to potentially develop in COVID-19 patients as a result of high-flow O2 support, the exact origin of the giant lung cavitation in our patient could be not confirmed. Cavitary lesions – featured by high mortality rate - are reportedly associated with lung infarctions and can be the aftermaths of pulmonary embolism, a rather common sequela of COVID-19 pneumonia. Radiological imaging is critical to support clinical decision making in the management of COVID-19 pneumonia, since not only it can visualize and stage the disease, but it can also detect and monitor the eventual onset of complications over time, even following patient discharge from hospital.