title: Imaging of Acute Lung Injury.
abstract: Acute lung injury (ALI) is the clinical syndrome associated with histopathologic diffuse alveolar damage. It is a common cause of acute respiratory symptoms and admission to the intensive care unit. Diagnosis of ALI is typically based on clinical and radiographic criteria; however, because these criteria can be nonspecific, diagnostic uncertainty is common. A multidisciplinary approach that synthesizes clinical, imaging, and pathologic data can ensure an accurate diagnosis. Radiologists must be aware of the radiographic and computed tomographic findings of ALI and its mimics. This article discusses the multidisciplinary diagnosis of ALI from the perspective of the imager.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac and Pulmonary Imaging Section, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, 505 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0628, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. Electronic address: brett.elicker@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Brett M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Elicker
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of California, 505 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0102, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Kirk T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, 505 Parnassus Avenue, Box 0628, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Naeger
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep, San Francisco VA Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, Box 111D, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP); Acute fibrinous organizing pneumonia (AFOP); Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP); Acute lung injury (ALI); Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); Diffuse alveolar damage (DAD)