Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: patterns on high-resolution CT

J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2000 Nov-Dec;24(6):965-70. doi: 10.1097/00004728-200011000-00025.

Abstract

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, also known as extrinsic allergic alveolitis, is caused by inhalation of specific environmental organic antigens. This disease may have typical high-resolution CT findings that, in the appropriate clinical setting, can be sufficiently characteristic to allow a confident diagnosis without the need for a lung biopsy. In this pictorial essay, the high-resolution CT patterns of hypersensitivity pneumonitis are illustrated. The authors emphasize the correlation among the radiologic presentation, functional abnormalities, and pathologic findings.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Air
  • Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / diagnostic imaging*
  • Biopsy
  • Bronchi / pathology
  • Bronchography
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Radiographic Image Enhancement / methods
  • Respiratory Function Tests
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed*