Radiological and invasive diagnosis in the detection of pneumonia in fabrile neutropenia.
In the case of febrile neutropenia, a chest X-ray most often does not detect pneumonia and this may be related to the low sensitivity of this technique since high-resolution computed tomography (CT) has been shown to be suggestive of pneumonia in the majority of the cases when fever persists for more than 48 h. In such cases, early documentation of pneumonia is often possible. The pattern of pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiograph and CT scan can only be considered as indicative and confirmation of non-infectious or infectious processes is better achieved by bronchoalveolar lavage combined with transbronchial biopsy provided there is no contraindication. The results of the CT scan may also help to determine the site of sampling.
Ninane
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Chest Service, Saint-Pierre Hospital, Free University of Brussels, rue haute, 322, 1000, Brussels, Belgium.
D001706:Biopsy; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed