Amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity: case series and review of clinical-radiological correlations

Amiodarone is an effective and commonly used anti-arrhythmic drug. The radiographic presentations of amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity (AIPT) include a broad spectrum of patterns. Three main clinical-radiographic presentations are described with AIPT: isolated reduction of diffusing lung capacity with no clinical implications; alveolar-interstitial pneumonia, which usually requires amiodarone discontinuation and corticosteroid treatment; and acute respiratory distress syndrome, which can obviously be life-threatening. We report 6 cases that depict the described range of clinical and radiographic presentations. The analysis of the cases and of the published review suggests that the computed tomography scan pattern on presentation predicts well the clinical course. The correlation between radiographic and clinical findings can therefore guide the clinician in the management of AIPT.