Tiny blood clots
Buonsenso is studying the matter with a very sophisticated medical imaging technique in an attempt to understand the role of blood clots a bit better. The technology is called a SPECT-CT scan, and it combines two completely different types of images: a single-photon emission computed tomography scan and a standard CT scan.
The first uses a radiotracer that’s injected into the vein for accurate pictures of the blood flow, and the latter gives information about lung structure. The intersection of these two helps the doctors understand which parts of the lungs aren’t getting regular blood flow.
Buonsenso managed to scan the lungs of 11 teenagers who suffered from severe COVID, including irregular heartbeats and breathlessness throughout exercises. In six children, the lungs seemed normal.
However, in the other five, the images were shocking: there should have been bright oranges and yellows, showing pulsing blood, but one lung was almost entirely blue, indicating very little flow. Buonsenso believed that tiny blood clots and chronic damage to the lining of the blood vessels could impair blood flow.
