[Radiological aspects of viral respiratory diseases in adults]

Adults present few radiological signs of damage to the air ways caused by viral agents whereas the importance of such study is much greater in lung pathology, particularly in the course of pneumonia and bronchopneumonia. Typical of this group of disease is the involvement of the interstice which is normally great enough to be detected in X-rays. The different causal agents generally present in their own preferential ways, but specific diagnosis using X-rays signs alone is in practice impossible. At best, some suspicion might be advanced regarding a non-bacterial form as the notable morphological resemblances in fact prevent differential diagnosis among the different virosis forms as well as their distinction from pneumopathies due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae.