PURPOSE: To validate lung attenuation measurements for quantifying extravas
cular lung water in oleic acid-induced pulmonary edema, compare subjective
assessment with attenuation measurements, and compare this permeability-typ
e pulmo nary edema with hydrostatic-type pulmonary edema.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thin-section computed tomography (CT) and pulmonary
hemodynamic examinations were performed sequentially in six dogs before and
after intravenous administration of 0.08 mg of oleic acid per kilogram of
body weight. Extravascular lung water and pulmonary capillary pressure were
measured. Results were compared with those reported in a canine model of h
ydrostatic edema.
RESULTS: Oleic acid induced a progressive increase in extravascular lung wa
ter without a change in capillary pressure, which indicated pure permeabili
ty-type edema. Ground-glass opacification was detected as soon as extravasc
ular lung water increased. Lung attenuation was highly correlated to extrav
ascular lung water (r = 0.76, P < .001) as in hydrostatic edema, but was ch
aracterized by an almost absent gravitational gradient.
CONCLUSION: Thin-section CT is sensitive for early detection and quantifica
tion of oleic acid-induced pulmonary edema in a canine model. Different fro
m early canine,hydrostatic edema, which is characterized by a gravitational
gradient, early oleic acid-induced pulmonary edema in a supine dog is char
acterized by nearly homogeneous distribution, except for ventral sparing.