Radiological findings in septic pulmonary embolism with detection of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria in microbiological culture: A rare pediatric case report

Abstract

Septic pulmonary embolism rarely occurs in children, displaying fairly distinctive radiological features that can, however, lead to misdiagnosis. We present a case of an Indonesian pediatric patient with an infection originating from cellulitis in his right calf, who underwent a chest X-ray followed by a CT scan. The findings from these examinations revealed characteristics consistent with septic pulmonary embolism, correlating with the growth of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in microbiological cultures obtained from wound specimens, as indicated in the literature. Awareness of specific imaging features is crucial for accurately diagnosing septic pulmonary embolism in this case and initiating appropriate treatment.

Keywords

• Septic pulmonary embolism
• X-Ray
• CT-scan
• Pediatric