[Value of CT in diagnosis of respirator-associated pneumonia].
OBJECTIVE
To analyse the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography (CT) in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).


METHODS
23 patients on mechanical ventilation with a new pulmonary abnormality on chest X-ray were examined with both spiral-CT and high-resolution CT. The diagnosis VAP was made according to prospectively defined criteria. Bronchoscopic specimen asservation with protected specimen brushing (PSB) served as gold standard.


RESULTS
With PSB, 11 of 23 patients were found to have VAP. CT showed a sensitivity and specificity of 53% and 63%, respectively. Ground glass infiltrates appeared to have a 100% specificity but were found in only 5/11 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
CT is not the method of choice for diagnosing VAP. Ground glass infiltrates seeming to be highly specific are only inconstantly found.
Hahn
U
U
Abteilung Radiologische Diagnostik, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen. ulrich.hahn@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Pereira
P
P
Heininger
A
A
Laniado
M
M
Claussen
C D
CD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical