Radiographic appearances of mycoplasma pneumonia

The chest radiographs of 60 adult patients with serologically proven mycoplasma pneumonia were reviewed. Confluent or patchy consolidation was most commonly seen, and involved one lobe only in 40% of patients. Widespread nodular opacities were seen much less frequently (7%). Pleural fluid was rare. Complete resolution was almost invariable, 40% of radiographs having cleared by four weeks and 96% by eight weeks.