Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)-Related Disseminated Leukoencephalopathy: A Retrospective Study of Findings on Brain MRI

AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2021 Apr;216(4):1046-1047. doi: 10.2214/AJR.20.24364. Epub 2021 Feb 17.

Abstract

Among 2820 inpatients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19), 59 (2.1%) underwent brain MRI. Of them, six (10.2%) had MRI findings suspicious for COVID-19-related disseminated leukoencephalopathy (CRDL), which is characterized by extensive confluent or multifocal white matter lesions (with characteristics and locations atypical for other causes), microhemorrhages, diffusion restriction, and enhancement. CRDL is an uncommon but important differential consideration in patients with neurologic manifestations of COVID-19.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging*
  • COVID-19 / complications*
  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukoencephalopathies / diagnosis
  • Leukoencephalopathies / etiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • SARS-CoV-2*