Hyperattenuating pulmonary consolidation

Hyperattenuating pulmonary consolidation refers to a region of lung parenchyma with air space opacification that has higher attenuation on CT than muscle or than expected with typical causes of consolidation such as pneumonia (fluid attenuation) or cancer (soft tissue attenuation).

The differential diagnosis for diffusely hyperattenuating consolidation is limited ^1-4:

• amiodarone lung, although the imaging findings alone do not necessary indicate functional pulmonary toxicity
• ethiodised oil embolism, such as after conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation or lymphangiography
• confluent manifestations of typically nodular disorders ⁵
  • metastatic pulmonary calcification
  • pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis
  • talcosis
• calcified atelectasis

Some disorders cause foci of calcification within a larger area of consolidation ⁵:

• tuberculosis
• silicosis
• amyloidosis

See also

• hyperattenuating pulmonary abnormalities
  • hyperattenuating pulmonary nodules
    • calcified pulmonary nodules
    • noncalcified hyperattenuating pulmonary nodules
  • hyperattenuating pulmonary mass
• pulmonary calcification
• calcified pulmonary densities (differential)