Renal ultrasound findings secondary to COVID-19 related collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis - A case report

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is well known to have extrapulmonary manifestations, including acute renal failure. While radiologic findings of COVID-19 pulmonary-involvement have been described, renal findings associated with COVID-19 have not. We present a case of a 38-year-old Afro-Caribbean female diagnosed with COVID-19 whose renal ultrasound showed increased parenchymal echogenicity, decreased global color Doppler signal with elevated resistive indices, but no large vessel thrombi. Non-targeted renal biopsy demonstrated collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), likely secondary to COVID-19 infection, which may be a specific manifestation of this disease that has been predominantly reported in Black patients. We report several findings on renal ultrasound with duplex Doppler not previously associated with COVID, specifically with FSGS, which in conjunction can be useful to both the radiologist and the clinician, potentially pointing them in the direction of this diagnosis and early treatment.

Automated summary

A case study of a 38-year-old Afro-Caribbean female with COVID-19 showed renal manifestations associated with collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), not previously reported with this disease, highlighting the potential for diverse renal complications in different populations. These renal ultrasound findings, along with duplex Doppler, may serve as useful indicators for early diagnosis and treatment in COVID-19 patients.