ACUTE INTERSTITIAL PULMONARY EDEMA

¹ From the Department of Radiology, Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, New York

Interstitial pulmonary edema is more common than is generally appreciated. Heretofore, it has been recognized almost always in association with chronic left ventricular failure or with mitral stenosis. Nevertheless, acute interstitial pulmonary edema does occur not infrequently in a variety of other clinical conditions. Such

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patients may be asymptomatic or markedly dyspneic, but frequently do not manifest physical findings of pulmonary edema. Consequently, the diagnosis becomes a roentgenographic one. The roentgen picture may mimic interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. However, the presence of an interstitial pattern in an acutely dyspneic person or an interstitial pattern which develops or clears rapidly should strongly suggest the diagnosis of acute interstitial pulmonary edema. The presence of "A" lines should support a diagnosis of acute interstitial pulmonary edema, since they occur in very high incidence in this condition and much less frequently in interstitial processes of other origin.

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