Pneumonia complications: lung abscess

This shows a CT scan of an 18-month-old child with a large left sided abscess. This resulted from the rupture of a pneumatocoele into the pleural space as a complication of pneumonia. The abscess in the left lung can clearly be seen, and has an air-fluid level. There is also a staphylococcal pneumatocoele (an irregular, thick walled cavity containing air and fluid) seen in the right lung. This patient underwent surgical drainage of the left pleural space, and made a good recovery.