Post-traumatic severe fat embolism syndrome with uncommon CT findings.
Although the diagnosis of fat embolism syndrome is usually based on clinical findings, we describe ill-defined centrilobular and subpleural nodules in addition to ground-glass opacities and consolidation on a computed tomography scan of the chest in a trauma patient with fat embolism syndrome. The nodules presumably represent alveolar oedema, microhaemorrhage and an inflammatory response secondary to ischaemia and cytotoxic emboli in fat embolism syndrome. The literature of computed tomography findings in patients with fat embolism syndrome is reviewed and summarized.
Van den Brande
F G J
FG
Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Hellemans
S
S
De Schepper
A
A
De Paep
R
R
Op De Beeck
B
B
De Raeve
H R
HR
Jorens
P G
PG
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D004620:Embolism, Fat / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed