title: Pulmonary complications of illicit drug use: differential diagnosis based on CT findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this manuscript is to summarize an approach to the differential diagnosis of the pulmonary complications of illicit drug use based on the computed tomography findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The various pulmonary complications of illicit drug use result in 5 main patterns of parenchymal abnormality: nodules, ground-glass opacities, consolidation, air trapping, and emphysema. Other thoracic manifestations of illicit drug use include pulmonary arterial hypertension, pneumomediastinum, bacterial endocarditis, discitis, and septic arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia, 899 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Elsie T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: C Isabela S
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Carolina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Nestor L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*