Diffuse ground-glass opacification

Diffuse or widespread ground-glass opacification/opacity carries a wide differential diagnosis :

• diffuse alveolar disease
  • hydrostatic pulmonary edema
  • acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
  • diffuse alveolar hemorrhage
• interstitial lung disease
  • hypersensitivity pneumonitis
  • connective tissue disease, e.g. scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis
  • non-specific idiopathic fibrosis (NSIP)
  • drug toxicity, e.g. cyclophosphamide, bleomycin
  • infection, e.g. Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, cytomegalovirus pulmonary infection

See also

• ground-glass opacity