Diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage: clues to the diagnosis

Diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage (DPH) refers to an uncommon but significant condition of bleeding into the alveolar space. Anemia and hemoptysis are important clinical features, but they may be absent. Although the radiographic and computed tomography findings are often varied and nonspecific, the imaging manifestations of pulmonary hemorrhage and the associated findings in the thorax often provide important diagnostic information that may lead to a specific diagnosis. DPH significantly influences patient management and has important prognostic implications. This review article explores the imaging findings in DPH and its differential diagnosis, highlighting important clues to this diagnosis and to its underlying etiology. DPH is an uncommon condition characterized by bleeding into the alveolar space that, when recognized on imaging, provides important diagnostic and prognostic information.