The alveolar pulmonary pattern is a radiographic descriptor of pulmonary disorders that result with filling of the alveoli with transudate or exudate. It also includes loss of air from the alveoli (atelectasis).
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Terminology
Consolidation is often used to indicate alveolar pattern, and is the predominant term in human radiology. Consolidation derives from human gross pathology, and is more specific to infectious and inflammatory diseases, and less pattern-oriented than the preferred term of alveolar pattern in veterinary medicine.
Radiographic features
Lack of air in the air spaces of the lungs creates an increased opacity on radiographs. This may be with retained lung volume (fluid filled), infiltration with cells, or loss of lung volume (loss of air).
Radiography
There are specific radiographic signs that are found with alveolar pattern and help to recognize this pulmonary pattern. - Increased pulmonary opacity with indistinct borders - Border effacement of vascular structures and bronchial walls within the region of alveolar pattern - Border effacement of the heart or diaphragm - Air bronchograms - Lobar sign
History and etymology
The veterinary radiology term alveolar (pattern) derives from the Latin alveolus (“small cavity”). It is adapted from the human radiology literature where it was found applicable in several areas of pattern recognition1.
Common disorders
The alveolar pattern is associated with a large number of disorders2. Distribution often helps to rank these into a list of differential diagnoses for a patient. - Cardiogenic pulmonary edema - Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema - Hemorrhage - Pneumonia - Infectious and non-infectious inflammatory disease - Neoplasia - Atelectasis - Thromboembolism
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