Abstract
PURPOSE: To determine whether the 'halo sign' at computed tomography (CT) could be used to differentiate hemorrhagic from nonhemorrhagic pulmonary nodules. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT scans of 12 patients with hemorrhagic pulmonary nodules and of a control group of 10 patients with nonhemorrhagic pulmonary nodules were randomized and reviewed by two chest radiologists. Nodules were considered hemorrhagic if a surrounding halo of ground-glass attenuation was present. RESULTS: Nodules were correctly identified as either hemorrhagic or nonhemorrhagic by both observers in 19 of the 22 cases (86%). Eight of the 12 patients with hemorrhagic nodules had an infectious process including invasive aspergillosis, candidiasis, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, or coccidioidomycosis. Four of 12 patients with hemorrhagic nodules had a noninfectious cause including Wegener granulomatosis, metastatic angiosarcoma, and Kaposi sarcoma. CONCLUSION: Most hemorrhagic pulmonary nodules have a characteristic CT appearance consisting of a central area of soft-tissue attenuation with a surrounding halo of ground-glass attenuation that allows distinction from nonhemorrhagic nodules.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 513-515 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | Radiology |
Volume | 190 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 1994 |
Keywords
- Aspergillosis
- Candidiasis
- Coccidioidomycosis
- Cytomegalovirus
- Lung neoplasms, secondary
- Lung, infection
- Lung, nodule
- Wegener granulomatosis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging