Flash information
- Attenuation
- Increased, partial
- Vessels
- Remain visible
- Distribution
- Focal or diffuse
- Specificity
- Non-specific finding
Definition
Ground-glass opacity increases attenuation without obscuring bronchovascular margins.
Examination or reading method
Review thin inspiratory lung-window sections; check acquisition, position and dependent opacities.
Morphological description
Describe extent, central or peripheral distribution, symmetry and associated signs rather than simply naming the opacity.
Causes and diagnostic direction
Partial alveolar filling, interstitial thickening or reduced aeration can produce this finding.
Differential diagnoses
Oedema, infection, haemorrhage and inflammatory pneumonia are possible; ground-glass opacity does not necessarily mean active inflammation.
Associated findings
Assess septal thickening, consolidation, nodules, cysts and distortion; integrate timing, exposures and immune status.
Red flags
Hypoxaemia or acute respiratory worsening warrants prompt assessment; imaging extent alone does not measure severity.
Pitfalls and limitations
Insufficient inspiration and dependent opacity may mimic disease; verify persistence with an appropriate acquisition.
Take-home message
Ground-glass opacity is a descriptor: distribution, accompanying signs and context narrow the differential.
Sources
- High resolution computed tomography of the lungs: Ground glass opacity and its differential diagnosis - PMC ↗
- Ground-glass opacity (GGO): a review of the differential diagnosis in the era of COVID-19 - PMC ↗
Documentary review: 2026-10-12
Media source & rights
- Author
- Mluisamtz11
- Original source
- Mluisamtz11, Patron_de_ground_glass_parcheado.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons; conversion WebP et réduction proportionnelle.
- Licence
- CC BY-SA 3.0
- Changes
- Conversion WebP, redimensionnement proportionnel sans recadrage ni annotations ajoutées; EXIF retiré. Dérivé écran proportionnel ≤1280 px, WebP qualité76 ; vignette ≤320 px qualité72. Source acquise et dérivé initial conservés sans modification ; aucune retouche médicale, aucun recadrage.
- Dimensions
- 1280 × 866 px
- Check
- 2026-10-11T20:53:02.667432+00:00