Rad

Alveolar Infiltrate on Chest XRay

search

Alveolar Infiltrate on Chest XRay, Alveolar Infiltrate, Alveolar Filling, Lung Consolidation

  • See Also
  1. Interstitial Infiltrate
  2. Chest XRay
  3. Chest XRay Interpretation
  4. Atelectasis on Chest XRay
  5. Air Bronchogram
  6. Hilar Adenopathy on Chest XRay
  7. Lung Nodule
  8. Straight Pulmonary Lines
  9. Wide Mediastinum on Chest XRay
  10. Chest XRay in Pneumothorax
  • Pathophysiology
  1. Infiltrates of fluid density within the air spaces (Bronchioles, alveoli)
  2. Appears as white, opacified lung (Lung Consolidation)
  3. Pulmonary vessels are obscured (contrast with Interstitial Infiltrate)
  • Signs
  1. Segmental distribution of Pulmonary Infiltrate
  2. Coalescence of infiltrates
  3. Fluffy margins
  4. Air Bronchograms
  5. Rosette Patterns
  6. Silhouetting of normal structures
    1. Normal margins (e.g. right heart border) are obscured by infiltrate
  • Causes
  1. Pulmonary Edema (e.g. CHF, alveoli filled with serous fluid)
  2. Pulmonary Hemorrhage (e.g. Vasculitis, alveoli filled with blood)
  3. Pneumonia (alveoli filled with pus)
  4. Amyloidosis (alveoli filled with Protein)
  5. Bronchoalveolar carcinoma (alveoli filled with cancer cells)
  6. Alveolar microlithiasis (alveoli filled with Calcium)
  • References
  1. Al-Tubaikh (2010) Internal Medicine 2010:113–8 [PubMed]