Fact-sheet: Septic pulmonary emboli


Updated on 04/19/2018 at 4:25 PM

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Definition

Septic pulmonary embolism

Pathophysiology:

- intravascular thrombus containing microorganisms

- fragmentation (blood turbulence)

- migration into small pulmonary arteries

- local ischemia + release of toxins into the parenchyma

- parenchymal infarction or hemorrhage due to necrosis

Clinical features

Fever, dyspnea.

CT

  • bilateral pleural-based nodules with a tendency to cavitate
  • irregular margins
  • +/- peripheral ground-glass opacity (hemorrhagic changes)
  • lower lobes
  • feeding vessel sign
  • complication: bronchopleural fistula with risk of pneumothorax