ROENTGENOLOGIC ASPECTS OF PRIMARY PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA PNEUMONIA IN MECHANICALLY VENTILATED PATIENTS

¹ From the Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

In recent years there has been an increasing incidence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. The factors responsible for this include the present-day common usage of antibiotics, steroids, cytotoxic and immunosuppressive drugs. Of particular importance, however, is the widespread use of positive pressure breathing apparatus. Pulmonary involvement may occur as part of a generalized Pseudomonas aeruginosa septicemia or as a primary nonbacteremic pneumonia. The increasing incidence and gravity of established Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia are providing a major problem in many intensive care units.

The present report is essentially concerned with a consideration of the various roentgenologic changes which may be observed in primary Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia, and is based upon the findings in a series of patients who developed this complication while receiving mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit.

The roentgenologic differential diagnosis is briefly discussed.

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