Pulmonary fat embolism: common and unusual computed tomography findings.
Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a common complication of fractures, usually of the long bones and pelvis. Common computed tomography findings of pulmonary FES include areas of consolidation, ground-glass opacities, and small nodules of various sizes, whereas filling defects in pulmonary arteries are rarely described in nonfulminant syndromes. We present an unusual case of nonfulminant pulmonary FES in which computed tomography disclosed multiple macroscopic pulmonary fat emboli associated to diffuse ground-glass attenuation in both lungs.
Nucifora
Gaetano
G
Cardiopulmonary Science Department, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Udine, Udine, Italy. gnucifora@cardionet.it
Hysko
Fjoralba
F
Vit
Alessandro
A
Vasciaveo
Annarosa
A
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004620:Embolism, Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*