Abstract
The alveolar pattern is the imaging representation of a variety of diseases that tend to occupy the lung airspaces. This pattern is the most common alteration identified in imaging studies of the lungs, and results in an increase in density of the lung parenchyma. The majority can be readily detected in chest radiographs, but some cases will only be detected in CT. The air bronchogram, consolidation, and the silhouette sign are usually detected in plain films. The distribution of the pathology and its temporal presentation can provide clues to specific groups of diseases. Combining the imaging signs and the clinical presentation will narrow the differential diagnosis. Acute airspace disease is usually secondary to pulmonary edema, infectious pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary hemorrhage, and drug-related diseases, whereas subacute and chronic alveolar patterns can be produced by organizing pneumonia, bronchioalveolar cell carcinoma, eosinophilic pneumonia, lymphoma, and radiation pneumonitis. CT can further improve the detection and characterization of airspace disease in the lungs. Specific CT signs of airspace pathology are ground-glass opacities, crazy paving pattern, CT angiogram sign, and the leafless tree sign. The radiologist must be aware of the key points in cases of alveolar disease: morphology, temporal presentation, clinical data, and when to use CT.
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Vilar, J., Andreu, J. (2011). The Lung Parenchyma: Radiological Presentation of Alveolar Pattern. In: Coche, E., Ghaye, B., de Mey, J., Duyck, P. (eds) Comparative Interpretation of CT and Standard Radiography of the Chest. Medical Radiology(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79942-9_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-79942-9_9
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