Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Weerakkody Y, Yap J, Haouimi A, et al. Pulmonary gangrene. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 04 May 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-77045
Pulmonary gangrene can be a complication of necrotizing pneumonia and often represents a final stage in a continuum of progressive devitalisation of pulmonary parenchyma and is characterized by sloughing of a pulmonary segment or lobe.
In most instances, it occurs as a complication of necrotizing bacterial pneumonia but rarely can occur in other infections such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis 3.
CT
Some publications suggest the evolution of a crescent or rim of air within homogeneous opacification as the feature that heralds the development of pulmonary gangrene 2. The development of a "mass within a cavity" is also a concerning feature 5.
Treatment and prognosis
Many patients may need to undergo surgical procedures to debride necrotic lung parenchyma 1. Dependent on the severity, surgical procedures include pneumonectomy, lobectomy, or limited resection 6.
-
1. Chatha N, Fortin D, Bosma KJ. Management of necrotizing pneumonia and pulmonary gangrene: a case series and review of the literature. (2014) Canadian respiratory journal. 21 (4): 239-45. doi:10.1155/2014/864159 - Pubmed
-
2. Reich JM. Pulmonary gangrene and the air crescent sign. (1993) Thorax. 48 (1): 70-4. doi:10.1136/thx.48.1.70 - Pubmed
-
3. López-Contreras J, Ris J, Domingo P, Puig M, Martínez E. Tuberculous pulmonary gangrene: report of a case and review. (1994) Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. 18 (2): 243-5. doi:10.1093/clinids/18.2.143 - Pubmed
-
4. Curry CA, Fishman EK, Buckley JA. Pulmonary gangrene: radiological and pathologic correlation. (1998) Southern medical journal. 91 (10): 957-60. Pubmed
-
5. Hsu HS, Chern MS, Chen CH, Perng RP. Pulmonary gangrene: a case report. (1995) Zhonghua yi xue za zhi = Chinese medical journal; Free China ed. 55 (6): 476-80. Pubmed
-
6. Schweigert M, Dubecz A, Beron M, Ofner D, Stein HJ. Surgical therapy for necrotizing pneumonia and lung gangrene. (2013) The Thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon. 61 (7): 636-41. doi:10.1055/s-0032-1311551 - Pubmed
-
7. Refaely Y, Weissberg D. Gangrene of the lung: treatment in two stages. (1997) The Annals of thoracic surgery. 64 (4): 970-3; discussion 973-4. doi:10.1016/s0003-4975(97)00837-0 - Pubmed
-
8. Krishnadasan B, Sherbin VL, Vallières E, Karmy-Jones R. Surgical management of lung gangrene. (2000) Canadian respiratory journal. 7 (5): 401-4. doi:10.1155/2000/174703 - Pubmed
-
9. Capov I, Wechsler J, Pavlik M, Jedlicka V, Vesely J, Zvonicek V, Hanak D, Tihon J, Pestal A, Kraus R, Dolezel J. Rare incidence of pulmonary gangrene--algorithm of the treatment. (2006) Magyar sebeszet. 59 (1): 32-5. Pubmed
-
10. Emil Gutman, Ouen Pongdee, Yung S. Park. Massive Pulmonary Gangrene1. (1973) Radiology. 107 (2): 293-4. doi:10.1148/107.2.293 - Pubmed
Promoted articles (advertising)
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.