The role of imaging in detecting and monitoring COVID-19 complications in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Most people infected with the virus experience mild to moderate respiratory illness. However, some might become seriously ill and may develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), thus requiring non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation. Furthermore, COVID-19 disease can involve also other organs and systems, causing several extra-pulmonary manifestations and, thus, negatively influencing the patient’s outcome. Imaging studies play a pivotal role in the monitoring of severely ill patients, especially those admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), who can develop several potentially life-threatening complications, both from the infection itself and the mechanical supporting system. This widespread utility of imaging modalities calls for a deeper understanding of potential radiologic findings in this disease and the need for multidisciplinary collaboration between radiologists and anesthesiologists to provide actionable guidance to appropriate interventions under such conditions.