Q fever pneumonia: Appearance on chest radiographs

PURPOSE: To determine the radiographic features of Q fever pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chest radiographs in 85 patients admitted to the hos pital during a 7-year period with Q fever pneumonia were retrospectively re viewed by two observers. RESULTS: The most commonly recorded abnormalities were segmental (n = 53 [6 2%]) and lobar (n = 15 [18%]) areas of opacity. Segmental pneumonia was obs erved as a unilateral single area of opacity in 38 (72%) patients. It was m ore frequently located in the; upper lobes. The left upper lobe was involve d in 31% of patients; the right upper lobe, in 23%; and the right lower lob e, in 27%. Lobar pneumonia was less frequently observed as a single lesion in eight (53%) of 15 patients: It was located in the left upper robe in 31% and in the right middle lobe in 27% of patients. There was no correlation between the extent of pulmonary involvement and the course of the disease; the outcome was favorable in all patients. Complete resolution of the radio graphic findings occurred in a mean of 39 days. CONCLUSION: The radiographic differentiation of Q fever pneumonia from the; other community-acquired pneumonias is not possible. Clinical, serologic, a nd epidemiologic data provide the best basis for diagnosis.