Longitudinal functional lung imaging in children with Post-COVID-19 syndrome

Kraus C, Tan L, Hinsen M, Schmidt S, Nedoschill E, Wachter F, Mandelbaum H, Wagner AL, Schöffl I, Weigelt A, Rauh M, Wölfle J, Uder M, Trollmann R, Vogel-Claussen J, Regensburger A, Heiß R, Knieling F, Raming R (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics SpringerOpen

Book Volume: 13

Article Number: 4

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1186/s40348-025-00216-x

Abstract

Background: Respiratory distress and COVID-19-related symptoms persist as Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS) in a proportion of children and adolescents. We aimed to determine whether ventilation or perfusion defects constitute a possible cause for PCS. Results: Mean ventilation was lower at baseline in vaccinated than in PCS (p=0.04) and V/Qmatchnon-defected increased from baseline to follow-up in vaccinated (p=0.03). In post-hoc comparison with historic data, V/Qmatchnon-defected improved in recovered (historic: 63.5±18.7%; baseline: 88.8±9.0%, p<0.0001; follow-up: 88.1±10.6%; p=0.0002) and PCS (historic: 57.3±19.5%; baseline: 86.1±7.6%, p<0.0001; follow-up: 86.6±7.7%, p=0.0110). Symptom load in PCS decreased from infection and baseline time points to 6-month follow-up. Laboratory assessments showed no differences. Conclusion: Despite persisting clinical symptoms, PREFUL MRI demonstrates no significant difference between cohorts, not supporting the hypothesis of persisting defects of the lung as causative.

Authors with CRIS profile

Calvin Kraus Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Maximilian Hinsen Institute of Radiology Emmanuel Nedoschill Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Felix Wachter Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Henriette Mandelbaum Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Isabelle Schöffl Department of Paediatric Cardiology Annika Weigelt Department of Paediatric Cardiology Manfred Rauh Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Joachim Wölfle Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin Michael Uder Lehrstuhl für Diagnostische Radiologie Regina Trollmann Professur für Kinder- u. Jugendmedizin Schwerpunkt Neuropädiatrie Adrian Regensburger Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Rafael Heiß Institute of Radiology Ferdinand Knieling Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Roman Raming Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

Involved external institutions

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin DE Germany (DE) Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) / Hannover Medical School DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Kraus, C., Tan, L., Hinsen, M., Schmidt, S., Nedoschill, E., Wachter, F.,... Raming, R. (2026). Longitudinal functional lung imaging in children with Post-COVID-19 syndrome. Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40348-025-00216-x

MLA:

Kraus, Calvin, et al. "Longitudinal functional lung imaging in children with Post-COVID-19 syndrome." Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics 13.1 (2026).

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