To evaluate pulmonary complications and related imaging findings of a re-emerging infectious disease that can be lethal if not timely diagnosed. To draw the attention of scientfic community on importance of vaccination campaigns. To assess the radiological characteristics of measles pulmonary involvement in patients admitted to our emergency department during the recent measles outbreak, using conventionalX-ray (XR) and computed tomography (CT), underlining typical imaging of pulmonary complications useful to the radiologist and main aspects of differential diagnosis with other acute lung/chest pathologies.

Measles is an extremely contagious infectious disease; it is directly transmitted by a single-strand RNA virus, member of the Morbillivirusgenus in the family Paramyxoviridae and can afflict the respiratory sistem. It is mainly spread by direct contact with airborne respiratory droplets, and is transmitted normally from 4 days before to 4 days after the onset of rash, with an incubation period of 10–14 days. Before the introductionof an effective measles vaccine, virtually everyone experienced measles during childhood. The global rate of morbidity and mortality has...

We evaluated imaging of pulmonary complications and laboratory data of patients with measles presented to our emergency department from January 2017 to February 2018 with respiratory symptoms (cough, dyspnea, hypoxiemia) associated with previous or concomitant onset of cranio-caudal maculopapular rash. All these patients showed an immunocompromised status (anorexia, drug addiction, alcoholism). The methods of imaging used were XR and TC. In particular, CT scan was performed in doubtful cases of the radiograph examination and in cases of negative XR but with a strong clinical suspicion...

A good knowledge of imaging of pulmonary complications of measles allows a timely diagnosis and differential diagnosis and a correct management. Our experience shows that the radiologist plays a key role in the detection of complications of measles and underlines the importance of an implementation of vaccination campaigns strategies.

Maria Carla Calcagno [email protected]

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