Ellis Samantha J., Cleverly Joanne R., Muller Nestor L. AJR 2000; 175:1019-1024
Adverse drug reactions are an important cause of morbidity and mortality, accounting for an estimated 5% of all hospitalizations and 0.3% of hospital deaths. Recognition of drug-induced lung disease is difficult because the clinical, radiologic, and histologic findings are nonspecific. The diagnosis is often based on a history of drug exposure, histologic evidence of lung damage, and exclusion of other causes of lung injury. High-resolution CT is superior to radiography I the depiction of the presence and distribution of parenchymal abnormalities. In one study of 23 patients with drug-induced ling disease, abnormal findings were detected on high-resolution CT in all patients and on radiography in 17 patients (74%). Abnormalities most commonly overlooked on radiography included ground-glass opacities and mild fibrosis.
We illustrate the spectrum of abnormalities seen on high-resolution CT in patients with drug-induced lung disease.