Can Radiology Play a Role in Early Diagnosis of Dengue Fever?

BACKGROUND: Dengue fever (DF) is a viral hemorrhagic fever causing severe morbidity and mortality in affected patients.

AIMS: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the changing trends in radiological findings in DF, to find if ultrasound is useful in the diagnosis of DF during an epidemic in absence of serological tests, and also to investigate the effects of DF in pregnancy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 2013 comprising of 400 patients who were serologically positive for dengue. Out of these, radiological investigations were conducted for 107 patients who were analyzed.

RESULTS: Out of the 107 patients, 85 patients underwent ultrasound, 12 computed tomography (CT) scans of brain or paranasal sinuses, and 21 chest radiography. The maximum numbers of patients (79%) were in the age group of 20-50 years. The most common ultrasound finding was hepatomegaly that was seen in 62% of the patients. Other findings were splenomegaly (45%), gallbladder (GB) wall edema (45%), right-sided pleural effusion (37%), bilateral pleural effusion (22%), and ascites (36%). Out of 10 pregnant patients, 5 had oligohydramnios, 2 had intrauterine growth restriction, 2 had intrauterine fetal demise, and 5 had a normal antenatal ultrasound.

CONCLUSION: Ultrasound findings of hepatosplenomegaly, GB wall edema, right-sided or bilateral pleural effusion, and ascites in patients presenting with signs and symptoms of DF during an epidemic are virtually diagnostic of DF. There have been recent changing trends with hepatosplenomegaly being the more common manifestation, in comparison to ascites and GB wall edema. DF also has catastrophic effects in pregnancy such as oligohydramnios and intrauterine fetal demise.