Lung infections: the radiologist's perspective

Diagn Interv Imaging. 2012 Jun;93(6):431-40. doi: 10.1016/j.diii.2012.04.021. Epub 2012 May 31.

Abstract

Imaging plays a key role in lung infections. A CT scan must be carried out when there is a strong clinical suspicion of pneumonia that is accompanied by normal, ambiguous, or nonspecific radiography, a scenario that occurs most commonly in immunocompromised patients. CT allows clinicians to detect associated abnormalities or an underlying condition and it can guide bronchoalveolar lavage or a percutaneous or transbronchial lung biopsy. An organism can vary in how it is expressed depending on the extent to which the patient is immunocompromised. This is seen in tuberculosis in patients with AIDS. The infective agents vary with the type of immune deficiency and some infections can quickly become life-threatening. Clinicians should be aware of the complex radiological spectrum of pulmonary aspergillosis, given that this diagnosis must be considered in specific settings.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / diagnostic imaging
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / immunology
  • Biopsy, Needle
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Cooperative Behavior*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance / immunology*
  • Interdisciplinary Communication*
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Opportunistic Infections / diagnostic imaging*
  • Opportunistic Infections / immunology
  • Pneumonia / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pneumonia / immunology
  • Radiography, Interventional
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / diagnostic imaging
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / immunology