title: Acute eosinophilic pneumonia: Thin-section CT findings in 29 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine thin-section computed tomography (CT) characteristics of acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thin-section CT scans of 29 patients (14 males, 15 females; mean age, 26+/-15 years; age range, 15-72 years) with AEP were included this retrospective study. The clinical diagnosis of AEP was established by Allen's criteria. Each thin-section CT was reviewed by two observers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bilateral areas with ground-glass attenuation were observed on thin-section CT in all patients. Areas of air-space consolidation were present in 16 (55%) of 29 patients. Poorly defined centrilobular nodules were present in 9 patients (31%). Interlobular septal thickening was present in 26 patients (90%). Thickening of bronchovascular bundles was present in 19 patients (66%). Pleural effusions were present in 23 patients (79%) (bilateral=22, right side=1, left side=0). The predominant overall anatomic distribution was central in only 2 (7%) of 29 patients, peripheral in 9 patients (31%), and random in 18 patients (62%). The overall zonal predominance was upper in 4 patients (14%), lower in 8 patients (28%), and random in 17 patients (58%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT findings in AEP patients consisted mainly of bilateral areas of ground-glass attenuation, interlobular septal thickening, thickening of bronchovascular bundles, and the presence of a pleural effusion without cardiomegaly. The most common overall anatomic distribution and zonal predominance of the abnormal CT findings were random.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Osaka University Medical School, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. t-daimon@radiol.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tadahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Daimon
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Johkoh
authors.forename: Hiromitsu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sumikawa
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Kiminori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Takeharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanagawa
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mihara
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tomiyama
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*