Citation, DOI & article data
Citation:
Weerakkody, Y., Luong, D. Acute lung injury. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org. (accessed on 16 Aug 2022) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-91049
Acute lung injury (ALI) refers to a rather broad clinical syndrome defined by a constellation of clinical criteria which includes:
- acute onset of bilateral pulmonary infiltrates
- pulmonary wedge pressures of usually 18 mmHg or less
It encompasses and also carries some overlap with the term acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with some publications stating a PaO2/FiO2 of:
- ≤300 for ALI 1
- ≤200 for ARDS 1
Some publications state ARDS as a more severe form of ALI.
Pathology
Histologically, it is represented by diffuse alveolar damage in most cases but can also be uncommonly represented by acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) and acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) 6. It can be precipitated by numerous agents.
Treatment and prognosis
Treatment is primarily supportive through supplemental oxygen with mechanical ventilation provided if necessary. The prognosis is variable.
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