CORRELATION BETWEEN LABORATORY MARKERS, CT, AND LUNG ULTRASOUND IN COVID-19-POSITIVE CANCER PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Imaging of the chest is an essential tool for assessing the course of a disease. The purpose of this study was to examine lung ultrasound (LUS) and chest CT in cancer patients with mild to severe COVID-19 pneumonia, in addition to clinical traits and test indicators such as serum ferritin, D-dimer, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Methods: This cohort validation study included 30 adult cancer patients (>18 years) of both sexes, From January 2022 until December 2023, they were admitted to the South Egypt Cancer Institute at Assiut University in Egypt due of proven COVID-19 pneumonia. Diagnosis was confirmed by PCR of nasopharyngeal samples. All patients had CO-RADS 4 or 5 and moderate to severe symptoms. Chest CT was performed prior to admission, and LUS was done within 24 hours of ICU admission. Follow up was conducted after two weeks. D-dimer, CRP, ferritin, and IL-6 levels were evaluated at baseline and at follow-up. Results: Significant reductions were observed in pulmonary nodules, lymphadenopathy, and bronchiectasis (P < 0.05). CO-RADS categories improved significantly (P = 0.021). LUS scores at baseline were significantly higher than total severity scores (TSS) (P = 0.031), persisting at follow-up (P = 0.029). CRP levels decreased significantly from 38.97 ± 5.7 mg/ml to 27.6 ± 3.7 mg/ml (P = 0.010). Conclusions: LUS is a dependable imaging technique for determining lung involvement. It provides a valuable, non invasive bedside tool that complements CT findings and laboratory biomarkers for monitoring disease progression and patient management outcomes in clinical practice settings.