FRI identifies redistribution of pulmonary blood flow in patients with COVID-19

Functional respiratory imaging identifies changes in pulmonary blood flow in patients with COVID-19

An common observation is that some patients with COVID-19 have normal lung compliance but significant hypoxaemia different from typical Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). To examine the role of altered pulmonary hemodynamics in this novel presentation, Functional Respiratory Imaging (FRI) was used to calculate pulmonary blood volume.

In a recently published article in Thorax by Dr. Thillai et al., it was observed that patients with COVID-19 had significantly reduced blood volume in the small pulmonary blood vessels (here defined as <5 mm2 cross- sectional area) compared with matched ARDS patients and healthy controls. This may contribute to the failure of invasive mechanical ventilation to adequately oxygenate some COVID-19 patients, and points to the need for additional management strategies.

Categorised in: / September 1, 2020 9:46 am / Published by

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