Pulmonary high-resolution computed tomography findings in nephropathia epidemica
European Journal of Radiology, 08/03/2012
Paakkala A et al. – Almost every NE patient showed lung parenchymal abnormalities in high–resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The most common findings of lung involvement in nephropathia epidemica (NE) can be defined as accumulation of pleural fluid and atelectasis and intralobular and interlobular septal thickening, most profusely in the lower parts of the lung. As a novel finding, lymphadenopathy was seen in a minority, probably related to capillary leakage and overall fluid overload. Pleural effusion is not the prominent feature in other viral pneumonias, whereas intralobular and interlobular septal thickening are characteristic of other viral pulmonary infections as well. Lung parenchymal findings in HRCT can thus be taken not to be disease–specific in NE and HRCT is useful only for scientific purposes.
