Community-Acquired Pneumonia with Negative Chest Radiography Findings: Clinical and Radiological Features

Data regarding community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) identified on chest computed tomography (CT) but not on chest radiography (CR) are limited.

The present study aimed to investigate the clinical and radiological features of these patients.

We retrospectively compared the clinical characteristics, etiological agents, treatment outcomes, and CT findings between CAP patients with negative CR and positive CT findings (negative CR group) and those with positive CR as well as CT findings (control group).

Of 1,925 patients, 94 patients (4.9%) were included in the negative CR group. Negative CR findings could be attributed to the location of the lesions (e.g., those located in the dependent lung) and CT pattern with a low attenuation, such as ground-glass opacity (GGO). The negative CR group was characterized by a higher frequency of aspiration pneumonia, lower incidences of complicated parapneumonic effusion or empyema and pleural drainage, and lower blood levels of inflammatory markers than the control group. On CT, the negative CR group exhibited higher rates of GGO- and bronchiolitis-predominant patterns and a lower rate of consolidation pattern. Despite shorter length of hospital stay in the negative CR group, 30-day and in-hospital mortalities were similar between the two groups.

CAP patients with negative CR findings are characterized by lower blood levels of inflammatory markers, a higher incidence of aspiration pneumonia, and a lower incidence of complicated para-pneumonic effusion or empyema than those with positive CR findings. Chest CT scan should be considered in suspected CAP patients with a negative CR, especially in bedridden patients.