Elementary Lesions
Elementary Lesions
Micronodulation
Characteristics
-
Focal rounded opacities < 3 mm presenting the following characteristics:
-
Attenuation: ground glass opacity or tissular or even calcified
-
Borders: blurry to clear
-
Diagnostic Orientation
-
The location of micronodulations helps guide the diagnosis:
-
within the lungs
-
within the secondary pulmonary lobule: key to diagnosis
-
-
The CT scans helps categorise diffuse micronodulations based on three types of lobular distribution, thereby significantly reducing the differential diagnosis:
-
random micronodulation
-
centrilobular micronodulation
-
centrilobular micronodulation
-
1. Micronodulation, perilymphatic distribution
- Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis.
- Extensive micronodulation with a perilymphatic distribution. Micronodules have an apical and posterior predominance.
2. Micronodulation
Centrilobular and perilymphatic micronodulation.
3. Micronodulation, centrilobular distribution
Micronodulation in the ventral segment of the right upper lobe sparing the subpleural part of the lung.