Roentgenologic pulmonary manifestations of queensland fever

Abstract

An analysis of the radiological characters of the pulmonary lesion of Queensland fever, based on the X-ray examination of the majority of 85 serologically proved cases, which occurred in the Haifa area during the first months of 1949, has been given. The dominating radiological feature has been seen to be a circumscribed, usually rounded, lesion of an exudative-pneumonic character. In addition structural intensification as a manifestation of interstitial inflammation has been noted, particularly in the later stages of the lesion, becoming most apparent in the stage of resolution. A short differential diagnostic study has shown that the pulmonary lesion of Q fever, being in its X-ray appearance of exudative-pneumonic character, cannot be distinguished radiologically from the large group of lesions of this pathological type (primary tuberculous lesion, early tuberculous lesion (Assman), eosinophilic infiltration, etc.). There may sometimes be distinctive features, permitting differentiation from lobar pneumonia, these being mainly in extent, localization, and the density of the lesion. The pulmonary lesion of Q fever has been found to show distinctive differential characteristics from primary atypical pneumonia. The radiological features of this disease (the dominating interstitial infiltration manifesting itself in the first stage of the disease and lasting throughout all stages as structural intensification, the segmental distribution, and the commonly present lobular, segmental, or lobar atelectasis due to bronchial obstruction) have been found to be missing in Q fever.