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Round Pneumonia

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Round Pneumonia

  • See Also
  1. Pneumonia in Children
  2. Pneumonia
  3. Pneumonia Management in Children
  4. Respiratory Distress in Children with Pneumonia
  5. Pediatric Early Warning Score
  • Epidemiology
  1. Peak age at 5 years old (uncommon after age 12 years)
  • Pathophysiology
  1. Streptococcus Pneumoniae (Pneumococcus) is most common cause
  2. Mass-like appearance with round shape and well demarcated borders
    1. Less interconnected lung lobules in children localizes Pneumonia into mass-like infection
    2. Contrast with adults with more interconnected lung lobules allowing for more diffuse Pneumonia spread
  1. Mass-like appearance with spherical or ball shape and well demarcated borders
  2. Distribution
    1. Most common in the upper segments of the lower lobe
    2. May also occur in the lower segment of the upper lobe
    3. May be more visible on lateral film in some cases
  • Differential Diagnosis
  1. Cavitary lesions (e.g. necrotizing Pneumonia, empyema, Lung Abscess)
    1. Findings include air fluid levels or radiolucent pockets
    2. Causes include Pneumococcus, Staphylococcus Aureus (including MRSA), Group A Streptococcus
  • Resources
  1. Round Pneumonia (Radiopaedia)
    1. https://radiopaedia.org/articles/round-pneumonia-1?lang=us
  • References
  1. Tubbs and Janicki (2025) Mastering Emergency Imaging, CCME, accessed 6/13/2026