Clinical Presentation
A 23-year-old man with acute chest pain and cough. The patient had recurrent episodes of chest pain in the past.
Imaging Findings
(A–C) Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the chest: Lung window image at the level of the lower lobes shows bilateral basilar parenchymal opacities and a mild degree of cardiomegaly (white arrows, A). Axial image at the level of the upper abdomen shows extensive punctate calcification of the spleen (arrow, B). Bone window mid-thoracic sagittal reconstruction shows diff use abnormal density of the spine with end plate deformity of the vertebral bodies (black arrows, C).
Differential Diagnosis
• Sickle cell disease (SCD), acute chest syndrome (ACS): ACS in patients with SCD presents with a variable degree of parenchymal opacities, which may be unilateral or bilateral.
• SCD with pneumonia:
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