[Can radiologic features of community-acquired pneumonia presume etiologic agents?].

During a one-year and nine months (from June 1987 to February 1989) survey of community-acquired pneumonia, we investigated in 130 patients if radiologic features presume etiologic agents. Incidences of etiologic agents are 21 (16%) pneumococcus, 18 (14%) mycoplasma, 14 (11%) tuberculosis, 12 (9%) hemophilus, and 54 (42%) unknown agents, respectively. In correlates of radiologic features and etiologic agents, alveolar shadows spreading bilateral lungs presume tuberculosis and pneumococcal pneumonia. Lobar distributing alveolar shadows presume pneumococcal, mycoplasmal tuberculous diseases and other agents, equally. Segmentally distributing shadows presume pneumococcal and mycoplasma pneumonia. Radiologic subgrouping features of alveolar shadows composed of acinar, lobular, and lobar shadows did not presume specific agents. Centrilobular (peribronchiolar) shadows suspect hemophilus infections. Pleural fluid accumulations suspect tuberculosis and anaerobic infections and cavitary shadows, tuberculosis, respectively. Radiologic features can presume etiologic agents.