Data from: Early postmortem brain MRI findings in COVID-19 non-survivors

Objectives: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
(SARS-CoV-2) is considered to have potential neuro-invasiveness that might
lead to acute brain disorders or contribute to respiratory distress in
patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study investigates
the occurrence of structural brain abnormalities in non-survivors of
COVID-19 in a virtopsy framework. Methods: In this prospective,
monocentric, case series study, consecutive patients who fulfilled the
following inclusion criteria benefited from an early postmortem structural
brain MRI: death <24 hours, SARS-CoV-2 detection on nasopharyngeal
swab specimen, chest computerized tomographic (CT) scan suggestive of
COVID-19, absence of known focal brain lesion, and MRI
compatibility.  Results: Among the 62 patients who died from
COVID-19 from 31/03/2020 to 24/04/2020 at our institution, 19 decedents
fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Parenchymal brain abnormalities were
observed in 4 decedents: subcortical micro- and macro-bleeds (2
decedents), cortico-subcortical edematous changes evocative of posterior
reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES, one decedent), and nonspecific
deep white matter changes (one decedent). Asymmetric olfactory bulbs were
found in 4 other decedents without downstream olfactory tract
abnormalities. No brainstem MRI signal abnormality was observed.
Conclusions: Postmortem brain MRI demonstrates hemorrhagic and
PRES-related brain lesions in non-survivors of COVID-19.
SARS-CoV-2-related olfactory impairment seems to be limited to olfactory
bulbs. Brainstem MRI findings do not support a brain-related contribution
to respiratory distress in COVID-19.