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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · World J Nucl Med 2021; 20(04): 405-407
DOI: 10.4103/wjnm.wjnm_28_21
Case Report

Brain perfusion single-photon emission computerized tomography/computerized tomography: Stroke-like manifestations of COVID-19 with transient antiphospholipid elevation

Kwang Chun
Division of Nuclear Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA
,
Edgar Zamora
1   Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA
,
Maria Coco
2   Department of Medicine, Renal Division, Montefiore Greene Medical Arts Pavilion, New York, USA
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Abstract

COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease associated with neurologic complications such as encephalitis or stroke in a minority of patients. The wide variety of neurologic manifestations with often unclear etiology may confound diagnosis and management. We present a young man admitted following an 8-day onset of self-resolving episodes of left hemiplegia and hemifacial droop. Diagnostic work up for seizures and stroke was largely negative. “Intra-ictal” ECD-single-photon emission computerized tomography/computerized tomography was consistent with right middle cerebral artery ischemia. Subsequent diagnostic work up revealed positive COVID-19 screening and newly-elevated antiphospholipid antibodies. Antiepileptic medications were discontinued, and the patient was successfully treated as an outpatient with corticosteroids leading to resolution of symptoms.

Keywords

Brain - COVID-19 - ECD - severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 - transient antiphospholipid

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.




Publication History

Received: 06 March 2021

Accepted: 17 March 2021

Article published online:
24 March 2022

© 2021. Sociedade Brasileira de Neurocirurgia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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