High-resolution computed tomography for the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia.
We compared high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) with chest radiography (CR) to determine if there is any advantage to using HRCT in the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Simultaneously obtained chest radiographs were compared with HRCT scans for 47 patients with clinical symptoms and signs suspicious for CAP, HRCT identified all 18 CAP cases (38.3%) apparent on radiographs as well as eight additional cases (i.e., 55.3%); P = .004. The corresponding figures for bilateral involvement were six by CR (33.3%) and 16 by HRCT (61.5%), P = .001. CR did not show changes particularly affecting the upper and lower lung lobes and the lingula. Bronchopneumonia was visualized by CR in 11 cases (61.1%) and by HRCT in 22 cases (84.6%). The corresponding figures for airspace pneumonia were four (22.2%) and one (3.8%), respectively. The use of HRCT seems to increase the number of CAP cases confirmed by imaging and to improve the accuracy of diagnosing and typing of CAP.
Department of Infection Control, Oulu University Hospital, Finland.
H
H
Syrjälä
M
M
Broas
I
I
Suramo
A
A
Ojala
S
S
Lähde
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001996:Bronchopneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003141:Communicable Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed