Acute eosinophilic pneumonia: Thin-section CT findings in 29 patients

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2007.04.012
• Publication Date: 2007-05-30T11:58:12Z
• Authors: Tadahisa Daimon; Takeshi Johkoh; Hiromitsu Sumikawa; Osamu Honda; Kiminori Fujimoto; Takeharu Koga; Hiroaki Arakawa; Masahiro Yanagawa; Atsuo Inoue; Naoki Mihara; Noriyuki Tomiyama; Hironobu Nakamura; Yukihiko Sugiyama
• Keywords: Pleural thickening

To determine thin-section computed tomography (CT) characteristics of acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP).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.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%).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.