Fat embolism syndrome chest x ray

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Feham Tariq, MD [2]

Overview

Chest X-ray in fat embolism syndrome is done in fat embolism to rule out the complications such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and any other possible diagnosis, for example, pulmonary embolism or pulmonary edema. It takes 12-24 hours for the abnormalities to appear on chest X-ray which include bilateral air space opacities, snow-storm appearance, increased pulmonary vascular markings and dilated right heart.

Chest X Ray

In majority of the cases, chest X-ray is normal. It takes 12-24 hours for the abnormalities to appear on chest X-ray, which include the following:^[1]^[2]

Bilateral diffuse air space opacities
Fleck-like pulmonary shadows (snow-storm appearance)
Increased pulmonary markings
Dilated right side of the heart

Gallery

Cerebral fat embolism.Case courtesy of Dr Charlie Chia-Tsong Hsu, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 19157

References

↑ Ong SCL, Balasingam V (2017). “Characteristic imaging findings in pulmonary fat embolism syndrome (FES)”. BMJ Case Rep. 2017. doi:10.1136/bcr-2017-223007. PMID 29170189.
↑ Newbigin K, Souza CA, Torres C, Marchiori E, Gupta A, Inacio J; et al. (2016). “Fat embolism syndrome: State-of-the-art review focused on pulmonary imaging findings”. Respir Med. 113: 93–100. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2016.01.018. PMID 26895808.

[pmid29170189-1] Ong SCL, Balasingam V (2017). “Characteristic imaging findings in pulmonary fat embolism syndrome (FES)”. BMJ Case Rep. 2017. doi:10.1136/bcr-2017-223007. PMID 29170189.

[pmid26895808-2] Newbigin K, Souza CA, Torres C, Marchiori E, Gupta A, Inacio J; et al. (2016). “Fat embolism syndrome: State-of-the-art review focused on pulmonary imaging findings”. Respir Med. 113: 93–100. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2016.01.018. PMID 26895808.

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