Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Just the term alone is chilling -- "cytokine storm." It refers to when the body's immune system runs amok while fighting an infection, releasing a horde of cytokines that can damage healthy organs. And it appears to be happening in some COVID-19 patients.
Researchers from Michigan this past week released MR and CT brain images that they believe show the impact of cytokine storm syndrome in a patient in her late 50s with COVID-19. The images demonstrate acute necrotizing hemorrhagic encephalopathy, which they believe may have occurred due to cytokine storm syndrome.
The authors hope their study will help others on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak to recognize the syndrome. Read more in our MRI Community.
Other important articles in the community include a story on the use of functional MRI to explore why some people binge drink and an article in which French researchers use the modality to find three markers for preoperative detection of a particularly aggressive form of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Ultrasound for coronavirus
The role of ultrasound as a useful tool for detecting COVID-19 respiratory disease has been growing. The modality can be easily taken to the patient's bedside, and disinfecting ultrasound scanners after their use is much easier than with CT.
Researchers from Italy even found that ultrasound probes traditionally used for ob/gyn imaging are easily repurposed for the lung scans needed to detect COVID-19. Find out how they did it in an article in our Ultrasound Community.
Another Italian group shared the protocols they used for performing lung scans -- read their four main points of advice and learn about the types of artifacts most commonly seen on ultrasound in COVID-19 patients.
Join us for 2020 Virtual Conference
The spring conference season was a wipeout due to the novel coronavirus, with cancellations affecting meetings from the largest international congress to the smallest CME lecture. To fill the void, AuntMinnie.com is pleased to announce our 2020 Virtual Conference, scheduled for April 30 and May 1.
The conference will take place entirely online, with a lineup of six prestigious speakers addressing some of the hottest topics in radiology. We'll also have a virtual trade show, where you can meet and interact with vendors and other conference attendees. And we promise, no long lines for coffee!
Hundreds of radiology professionals have already registered for our 2020 Virtual Conference -- reserve your space today!
