Bat wing opacities (lungs)

Last revised by Ian Bickle on 31 Aug 2023

Bat wing opacities, also known as butterfly opacities, refer to a pattern of bilateral perihilar lung shadowing. It is classically described on a frontal chest radiograph but can also refer to appearances on chest CT 3,4.

Differential diagnosis

Bat wing pulmonary opacities can be caused by:

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