This is a characteristic appearance of ARDS in the appropriate clinical context.

The differential diagnosis includes infection (also a common complication of ARDS), and cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Differentiation can be impossible in some cases.

The causes of ARDS include:

• trauma
• septicemia
• hypovolemic shock
• fat embolism
• near-drowning
• burns
• viral pneumonia
• pancreatitis
• oxygen toxicity
• disseminated intravascular coagulopathy

ARDS mortality is high, around 50%, and many survivors develop chronic lung disease, with damaged lung healing by fibrosis. A minority recover fully.