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Cocaine-induced pulmonary changes: HRCT findings.
Renata Rocha de Almeida1, Gláucia Zanetti1, Arthur Soares Souza2
1Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BR.
Cocaine-induced pulmonary disease presents with varied HRCT findings, including "crack lung" and barotrauma. Diagnosis relies on correlating clinical and radiological evidence.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Radiology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Cocaine use is associated with diverse pulmonary complications.
- High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is crucial for diagnosing lung abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the spectrum of pulmonary changes on HRCT scans in patients with cocaine-induced lung disease.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of HRCT scans from 22 patients with suspected cocaine-induced pulmonary disease.
- Independent review by two radiologists, with consensus for discordant findings.
- Inclusion based on HRCT abnormalities temporally related to cocaine use, excluding other causes.
Main Results:
- "Crack lung" identified in 36.4% of patients, showing ground-glass opacities, consolidations, and halo sign.
- Other findings included barotrauma (pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax) in 63.6% and talcosis in 3 patients.
- Less common patterns: organizing pneumonia, bullous emphysema, pulmonary infarction, septic embolism, eosinophilic pneumonia, and cardiogenic pulmonary edema.
Conclusions:
- Cocaine-induced pulmonary disease exhibits a wide range of nonspecific radiologic findings.
- Accurate diagnosis necessitates a thorough correlation of clinical presentation with HRCT imaging results.
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