Abstract #2087

Neuroinflammatory Imaging Markers: Insights into the Cerebral Consequences of Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC)

Chuan Huang^1,2, Jia Ying^1,3, Zennur Sekendiz⁴, Ashley Fontana⁴, Sean Clouston⁵, Minos Kritikos⁵, Lev Bangiyev⁶, and Benjamin Luft⁷

¹Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States, ²Biomedical Engineering, Emory and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States, ³Biomedical Engineering, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ⁴Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ⁵Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ⁶Radiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States, ⁷World Trade Center Health and Wellness Program, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States

Synopsis

Keywords: Infectious Disease, Diffusion/other diffusion imaging techniques

Motivation: The motivation behind this study stems from the urgent need to decipher the neuroinflammatory processes contributing to Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) and to identify potential biomarkers for this condition through neuroimaging.

Goal(s): The primary goal is to investigate the presence of cerebral imaging markers indicative of neuroinflammation in individuals experiencing neurological PASC.

Approach: The study employed multi-shell diffusion MRI, to investigate changes in individuals with PASC. Diffusion parameters indicative of neuroinflammation were analyzed, by comparing among PASC patients, never-infected individuals, and acute-COVID controls.

Results: PASC patients demonstrated increased whole-brain alterations consistent with axonal injury with inflammation.

Impact: The findings of altered diffusion parameters in PASC patients shed light on the presence of axonal injuries with inflammation. These insights can potentially impact the diagnosing and treating long-term neurological symptoms of COVID-19, ultimately improving patient care and recovery strategies.

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