Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (Nosocomial Pneumonia) and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Lung Opacity: Understanding What This Means - Healthline

One thing that can show on a CT scan or X-ray is a degree of haziness referred to as opacity. This can indicate a concern, but your doctor may want more testing to determine the cause of any potential lung issues.

Even though over 80 million people undergo computed tomography (CT) scans each year in the United States, some of the words and phrases related to this imaging test can be complicated and hard to understand.

For example, one term that healthcare professionals might use in reference to a lung CT scan is "opacity." This is a radiological term that refers to the hazy gray areas on images made by CT scans or X-rays.

This article will provide information about lung opacity, whether it means you have lung cancer, and what the outlook may be for those with lung opacity.

Ground-glass opacity is a radiological term that refers to hazy gray areas on the images made by CT scans or X-rays. It indicates increased density in these areas.

Typically, the lungs appear black on a CT scan or X-ray. This shows that they are free of blockages. When gray areas are visible instead, it means that something is partially filling this area inside the lungs.

These gray areas are referred to as ground-glass opacity. Ground-glass opacity can be a sign of:

fluid, pus, or cells filling the air space

walls of the alveoli thickening

space between the lungs thickening

Ground-glass opacity can result from a variety of causes, according to 2020 research.

Sometimes it is temporary and the result of a short-term illness. In other cases, it can signify a chronic or more serious condition. Ground-glass opacity can also indicate an infection or other inflammatory process, which is usually what a clinician will share with you or your loved one who has had a CT scan or X-ray.

Healthcare professionals see lung opacities on imaging scans. Your doctor may suggest a scan of your lungs if you are experiencing:

shortness of breath

persistent coughing

coughing with yellow, green, or bloody mucus

chest pains

blue- or white-tinged fingertips or lips

voice changes

Opacities are also likely to show up on a scan if you have a history of smoking or vaping.

It's also good to know that chest CTs are used to screen for risk of lung cancer, and a physician may order a CT scan if you have a history of smoking.

Lung opacities can indicate many conditions besides cancer. Many times they are benign (noncancerous). They may be due to infections, hemorrhages, a history of smoking, and even COVID-19.

Lung opacities are common, 2021 research suggests. They can indicate a broad range of conditions, and your doctor may need to do further scans and tests to determine the exact cause of any lung opacities.

Lung opacity can indicate different conditions that have their own treatment plans. Depending on the cause, your doctor may suggest:

If the lung opacity is due to cancer, treatment will vary depending on the severity and type. Treatment may include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery.

Lung opacity can result from many different causes, with varying degrees of seriousness.

Some conditions that cause lung opacity, like viral infections, are typically short-lived with low long-term risk. Other conditions, like alveolar hemorrhage and lung cancer, require more serious treatments.

Ground-glass opacity nodules can be divided into two types: pure and partially solid. Pure nodules do not contain any solid mass, whereas partially solid nodules do have solid components.

A 2019 study found that in cases when lung opacity showed cancer, pure ground-glass opacity nodules were more likely to be seen in earlier stages of lung cancer. There was also less lymph node invasion compared with ground-glass opacity nodules that also include solid masses.

Additionally, pure ground-glass opacity nodules took longer to double in size than ground-glass opacity nodules with solid masses in these studies. This means that lung cancer outlook may be better when a person has pure ground-glass opacity, compared with scans that showed a solid part in the nodules.

Ground Glass Opacity: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments - Medical News Today

Ground glass opacity (GGO) refers to the hazy gray areas that can show up in CT scans of the lungs. These areas show increased density inside the lungs which could indicate pneumonia or other respiratory disorders.

The term comes from a technique in glassmaking during which the surface of the glass is blasted by sand. This technique gives the glass a hazy white or frosted appearance.

This article will look at what GGO is, some of its causes, and its treatment options.

GGO refers to gray areas that can show up in lung CT scans.

Normally, the lungs appear black in X-ray and CT scans. This indicates that they are free of any visible blockages.

However, gray areas indicate increased density, meaning that something is partially filling the air spaces inside the lungs. This could be due to:

the air spaces becoming partially filled with fluid, pus, or cells

the walls of the alveoli, which are the tiny air sacs in the lungs, thickening

the space between the lungs thickening

GGO can be due to many conditions. Sometimes, the cause is benign. Other times, it may be the temporary result of a short-term illness. However, it can also indicate a more serious or long-term condition.

There are several types of GGO. These include:

Diffuse: Diffuse opacities show up in multiple lobes of one or both lungs. This pattern occurs when the air in the lungs is replaced with fluid, inflammation, or damaged tissue.

Nodular: This type can indicate both benign and malignant conditions. GGO that persists over several scans may indicate either premalignant or malignant growths.

Centrilobular: This type appears within one or several lobules of the lung. Lobules are the hexagonal divisions of the lung. The connective tissue between the lobules is unaffected.

Mosaic: This pattern develops when small arteries or airways within the lung are blocked. The opaque areas vary in intensity.

Crazy paving: Crazy paving shows up as a linear pattern. It can occur when the spaces between the lobules widen.

Halo sign: This type of opacity fills the area around the nodules.

Reversed halo sign: A reversed halo sign is an area that is almost totally surrounded by liquid-filled tissue.

The shape, size, quantity, and location of opacities will vary depending on the cause. Some conditions cause only one type, but others may cause a mixture.

The sections below will look at some potential causes in more detail.

Infections are common causes of GGO. Such infections include:

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a serious infection in the lungs. It can result from viruses, bacteria, or fungi.

The symptoms can vary depending on the cause, but they typically include:

A doctor may prescribe antiviral medications to treat viral pneumonia. Doctors also treat bacterial and fungal pneumonia with medications. However, sometimes symptom management and rest is enough.

COVID-19

A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis found that just over 83% of people with COVID-19-related pneumonia had GGO.

Another 2020 study in 54 participants found that GGO most commonly showed up in the lower lobes of the lungs as round opacities, but that as the disease progressed, it became more patchy and affected all lobes.

Pneumonitis, or inflammation in the lungs, can occur if a person inhales:

allergens or irritants, which can contribute to hypersensitivity pneumonitis

electronic cigarette smoke, which can cause e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI)

toxins, such as asbestos

Certain drugs can also cause pneumonitis and accompanying GGO. Typically, this type of pneumonitis occurs shortly after a person begins taking a new drug.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

The symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis can include:

a cough

short-term shortness of breath

fever

pain

In the short term, doctors treat this condition by trying to identify and remove the trigger of a person's symptoms. The person may also require medications and oxygen therapy.

In the long term, the condition may cause chronic fatigue, weight loss, and irreversible scarring.

EVALI

E-cigarettes and vaping devices contain nicotine concentrates, solvents, and other chemicals. These products can cause EVALI.

EVALI may cause numerous types of GGO, including crazy paving and reversed halo sign, to show up on a scan.

Vaping can also cause alveolar hemorrhage. There is more detail on this condition below.

These conditions could be due to an autoimmune disease, a connective tissue disorder, or toxin exposure.

The progression of interstitial lung disease varies from person to person depending on what caused it.

Symptoms vary from mild to severe. They may include:

shortness of breath

labored breathing

a dry cough

severe tiredness or weakness

mild chest pain

unexplained weight loss

Treatment aims to slow the progression of the condition. Doctors may use supplemental oxygen, anti-inflammatory drugs, or immunosuppressant drugs.

coughing up blood

shortness of breath

difficulty breathing when lying down

sweating

restlessness

blue- or white-tinged fingertips or lips

People with these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately, as sudden pulmonary edema can be an emergency.

Alveolar hemorrhage occurs when the blood vessels in the lungs become damaged, leading to bleeding.

The symptoms can vary widely and may include:

coughing up blood

difficulty breathing

anemia

respiratory failure

Doctors treat most cases of alveolar hemorrhage with steroids to reduce inflammation and immunosuppressants to stop the immune system from damaging the blood vessels further.

Sometimes, GGO nodules in the lung can indicate cancer.

Lung cancer may not have pronounced symptoms in the early stages of the condition. However, a person should speak with their doctor if they experience:

a persistent cough that worsens

shortness of breath

pain in the chest, shoulders, or back

voice changes

weight loss

Treatment varies according to the severity and type of cancer a person has. It may include chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy.

After a doctor finds GGO in a CT scan, they will take note of the size, shape, location, and distribution of the opacities to determine the likely cause.

They may also order more tests, such as:

lung function tests

sputum tests

blood tests

bronchoscopy

lung biopsy

a CT scan, for those who have received X-rays, as CT scans show more detail

Receiving test results can be worrying. Here are some questions that a person may wish to ask their doctor:

What can the scan results tell us?

In which part of the lung is the GGO?

What type of GGO is present? Are there multiple types?

Could it indicate a benign condition?

Will other diagnostic tests help determine the cause?

The following are commonly asked questions about GGO.

How serious is GGO?

GGO develops due to many conditions, meaning that there are varying degrees of severity. Some causes are benign, and other causes can be more serious, such as lung cancer.

Is GGO a tumor?

GGO nodules are an important indicator of lung cancer. However, it is important to remember that there are many causes of GGO, which can be present in benign conditions.

GGO can show up on a CT scan of the lungs. It appears as hazy gray areas that can indicate a range of conditions.

Some causes of GGO may be benign and resolve on their own, while others may be chronic.

Fact Check: COVID-19 Can Cause Worse Lung Damage Than Smoking - USA TODAY

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