Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to compare the high-resolution CT (HRCT) findings of pulmonary infectious and noninfectious complications with extensive ground-glass attenuation (GGA) in immunocompromised patients.
Materials and methods
One hundred fifty-two immunocompromised patients with pulmonary complications that showed extensive GGA (> 50% of the whole lung on HRCT) were included in this study. The diagnoses of the 152 patients were as follows: pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), n = 82; drug-induced pneumonia, n = 38; bacterial pneumonia, n = 9; cytomegalovirus pneumonia, n = 6; idiopathic pneumonia syndrome, n = 6; diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH), n = 4; fungal infection, n = 3; tuberculosis, n = 2 and pulmonary edema, n = 2. Two chest radiologists retrospectively evaluated the CT criteria, which consisted of 12 findings.
Results
The nodule (p = 0.015), the bronchovascular bundle (BVB) thickening (p = 0.001), and the interlobular septum (ILS) thickening (p = 0.002) were significantly infrequent in PCP. The ILS thickening was significantly frequent in drug-induced pneumonia (p < 0.001) though it was also frequent in other noninfectious and infectious diseases. The BVB thickening was significantly frequent in bacterial pneumonia (p = 0.005). The nodule was significantly frequent in DAH (p = 0.049).
Conclusion
Nodules, BVB thickening, and ILS thickening could be useful HRCT findings for the differential diagnosis of pulmonary complications in immunocompromised patients with extensive GGA.
Differentiation of pulmonary complications with extensive ground-glass attenuation on high-resolution CT in immunocompromised patients
