title: The chest X ray in Q-fever: a report on 69 cases from the 1989 West Midlands outbreak.
abstract: Acute and serial chest radiographic appearances of Q-fever in a large UK outbreak in the West Midlands are described. In 69 acute films (taken within 20 days of onset of illness), 10% of films were normal. Appearances in 62 abnormal films were varied and, in contrast to some previous reports, showed no features that might distinguish Q-fever pneumonia from pneumonias of other origins. Analysis of serial films in 47 cases showed that complete radiographic resolution frequently took up to 6 months, longer than has been described previously. Initial appearances deteriorated over the first 2 weeks of radiographic surveillance in 20% of cases. No relationship was found between the extent of radiographic change and the age of the patient or the presence or absence of respiratory symptoms. Age did not affect time to resolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, East Birmingham Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wellings
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ayres
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Burge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011778:Q Fever / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013997:Time Factors; D006113:United Kingdom