Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia: CT features in 16 patients

  • Chest
  • Published:
European Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the computed tomography (CT) features of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. We retrospectively reviewed CT findings of 16 patients (M:F=9:7, age range 1-74 years, median 9 years) with serologically proven Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia and with chest CT scan available. Two distinctive patterns of CT features of M. pneumoniae pneumonia were noted between the paediatric (age <18 years) and the adult (age ≥18 years) groups. The pediatric group (n=11) showed lobar or segmental consolidation (100%) with frequent pleural effusion (82%) and regional lymphadenopathy (82%) and mild volume decrease of the involved lobe (73%), while four of the five adult patients showed diffuse and/or multifocal, centrilobular or peribronchovascular areas of ground-glass attenuation (80%) with a lobular distribution, and frequent thickening of interlobular septa (60%) and the bronchial walls (40%) were also detected at high-resolution CT. The CT finding of a lobar or segmental consolidation with a parapneumonic effusion seen in our children with M. pneumoniae pneumonia was similar to that of bacterial lobar pneumonia. In contrast, the CT findings noted in our adult patients consisted of a mixture of a bacterial bronchopneumonia pattern and a viral interstitial pneumonia pattern.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1a, b
Fig. 2a, b
Fig. 3a, b
Fig. 4a, b
Fig. 5a, b
Fig. 6a, b

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Braunwald E, Fauci AS, Kasper DL, Hauser SL, Longo DL, Jameson JL (2001) Harrison's priniciples of internal medicine. McGraw-Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. Fraser RS, Pare PJA, Fraser RG, Pare PD (1994) Synopsis of diseases of the chest. Saunders, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  3. Foy HM, Loop J, Clarke ER, Mansy AW, Spence WF, Feigl P, Grayston JT (1973) Radiographic study of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Am Rev Respir Dis 108:469–474

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Mansel JK, Rosenow EC III, Smith TF, Martin JW Jr (1989) Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Chest 95:639–646

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Putman CE, Curtis AM, Simeone JF, Jensen P (1975) Mycoplasma pneumonia. Clinical and roentgenographic patterns. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med 124:417–422

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cameron DC, Borthwick RN, Philp T (1977) The radiographic patterns of acute mycoplasma pneumonitis. Clin Radiol 28:173–180

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Tanaka N, Matsumoto T, Kuramitsu T, Nakaki H, Ito K, Uchisako H, Miura G, Matsunaga N, Yamakawa K (1996) High resolution CT findings in community-acquired pneumonia. J Comput Assist Tomogr 20:600–608

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Reittner P, Muller NL, Heyneman L, Johkoh T, Park JS, Lee KS, Honda O, Tomiyama N (2000) Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia: radiographic and high-resolution CT features in 28 patients. AJR Am J Roentgenol 174:37–41

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ali NJ, Sillis M, Andrews BE, Jenkins PF, Harrison BD (1986) The clinical spectrum and diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. Q J Med 58:241–251

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Clyde WA Jr (1983) Mycoplasma pneumoniae respiratory disease symposium: summation and significance. Yale J Biol Med 56:523–527

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Cassell GH, Cole BC (1981) Mycoplasmas as agents of human disease. N Engl J Med 304:80–89

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rollins S, Colby T, Clayton F (1986) Open lung biopsy in Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Arch Pathol Lab Med 110:34–41

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Zinserling A (1972) Pecularities of lesions in viral and mycoplasma infections of the respiratory tract. Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat 356:259–273

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Murray HW, Tuazon C (1980) Atypical pneumonias. Med Clin North Am 64:507–527

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lambert HP (1968) Antibody to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in normal subjects and in patients with chronic bronchitis. J Hyg (Lond) 66:185–189

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, 135-710, South Korea

    Inho Lee, Tae Sung Kim & Hye-Kyung Yoon

Authors
  1. Inho Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tae Sung Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hye-Kyung Yoon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tae Sung Kim.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, I., Kim, T.S. & Yoon, HK. Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia: CT features in 16 patients. Eur Radiol 16, 719–725 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-005-0026-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-005-0026-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation