Acute eosinophilic pneumonia: Thin-section CT findings in 29 patients.
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.
Daimon
Tadahisa
T
Department of Radiology, Osaka University Medical School, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. t-daimon@radiol.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Johkoh
Takeshi
T
Sumikawa
Hiromitsu
H
Honda
Osamu
O
Fujimoto
Kiminori
K
Koga
Takeharu
T
Arakawa
Hiroaki
H
Yanagawa
Masahiro
M
Inoue
Atsuo
A
Mihara
Naoki
N
Tomiyama
Noriyuki
N
Nakamura
Hironobu
H
Sugiyama
Yukihiko
Y
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*