Review CT findings of pulmonary infarction. Emphasise that pulmonary infarction is often an incidental finding in patients who have undergone a screening CT scan for the assessment of malignancy.

Pulmonary infarction describes necrosis of lung parenchyma secondary to failure of adequate perfusion. The lung parenchyma is usually protected from this due to dual blood supply from the central bronchial arteries and peripheral pulmonary arteries and the extensive anastomoses between them. When tissue oxygen requirements are not met, infarction ensues, and this is typically seen is more distal pulmonary artery occlusion [1]. Thromboembolic disease is the most common cause for this, although tumour and septic emboli should also be considered in the appropriate clinical context....

Case 1:81 year old male with a swollen calf and shortness of breath. The radiographic equivalent of the ‘Hampton’s hump’ as described on radiography is also seen on CT. Branches of the pulmonary artery supply the lung periphery, occlusion of which gives rise to a broad, pleural based opacification in the shape of a wedge with a truncated apex pointing towards the hilumFig. 1. Case 2: 44 year old male with known sickle cell disease. Central air lucencies within the consolidated lung gives the infarct...

Pulmonary infarction has several features on CT. Recognising these can enable the observer to make the correct diagnosis and thereby guide the most appropriate clinical management, limit the discussion of such cases in dedicated lung cancer MDT meetings and crucially avoid unnecessary further investigation by correctly interpreting the infarct and not mistaking it for a lung cancer.

N. Bhatt; Luton/UK - nothing to disclose N. Chua; London/UK - nothing to disclose N. F. Bassett; Luton/UK - nothing to disclose S. McClaggan; Luton/UK - nothing to disclose V. H. Lopes; Luton/UK - nothing to disclose

Bray TJ, Mortensen KH, Gopalan D (2014) Multimodality imaging of pulmonary infarction. Eur J Radiol Dec;83(12):2240-54 Revel MP, Triki R, Chatellier G, Couchon S, Haddad N, Hernigou A, Danel C, Frija G (2007) Is It possible to recognize pulmonary infarction on multisection CT images?. Radiology Sep;244(3):875-82