Fat Embolism Syndrome: Lung Computed Tomography Findings in 18 Patients

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the lung computed tomography (CT) findings in fat embolism (FE) syndrome.Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 19 CT examinations of 18 patients with FE syndrome, diagnosed clinically using the Gurd and Wilson criteria.Result: Fat embolism syndrome showed 3 patterns: negative examination, bilateral interstitial-alveolar involvement, and adult respiratory distress syndrome like. Frequent findings included consolidations (17 patients), mostly with gravity dependent distribution, and ground-glass opacities (17 patients), mostly with patchy distribution. Fifteen patients showed an overlapping random nodular pattern. Less common findings included lobular ground-glass opacities and lobular consolidations, smooth septal thickening, thickening of the bronchial wall, and areas of crazy paving. The extension of the consolidations correlates with the duration of assisted ventilation.Conclusions: In FE syndrome, pulmonary CT findings are ground-glass opacities and dependent consolidations, associated with other variably overlapping signs, such as lobular opacities, random nodules, septal thickening, and bronchial wall thickening.