Radiological spectrum of pulmonary infections in patients post solid organ transplantation

Pneumonia remains an important source of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. Since clinical findings are nonspecific and cultures may be time-consuming, imaging plays an important role in establishing the probable etiology of pneumonia. Plain films are used as an initial study. However, they have a limited capacity in differentiating the causative factors. HRCT is used as a problem-solving tool in patients with unclear plain film findings and/or no response to treatment. The main advantage of HRCT is a very detailed depiction of the lung parenchyma. Even though HRCT findings are not always specific, there are several sings that are more common in certain types of pneumonia. The aim of the article is to present radiological findings suggestive of a particular causative microorganism and show how they can narrow the differential diagnosis when coupled with clinical data.