Radiological Appearance and their Significance in the Management of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

Aims & Objectives: To demonstrate various imaging features of DHF and their significance for the early recognition of moderate to severe forms of disease before they become clinically apparent. Methodology: we have included 76 patients out of 500 admitted patients who were known cases of dengue fever and were sent for different radiological investigations including abdominal ultrasound and CT scan abdomen, x-ray chest, CT chest, MRI brain. Study was conducted October 2011 in Doctor Hospital and ghurki trust teaching hospital Lahore. Results: out of 76 patients, 33 were female (43.4%) and 43 were male (56.6%). age range was 14 years to 80 years, mean age was 39 years). Regarding pleural effusion, we have seen that left sided pleural effusion (1.3%) while right sided pleural effusion was seen in (17.1%). Similarly bilateral pleural effusion was noted in (13.2%). Right sided pneumonia was appreciated in (1.3%) while bilateral pneumonia was noted in (3.9%). Ascites was noted in (51.3 %). Gallbladder wall thickness was seen in (36.8%). Hepatomegaly was noted in (35.5%). Splenomegaly in (28.9%). Non-specific gut wall thickening was noted in the small bowel only in one patient (1.3%). Brain hemorrhage was identified in (1.3%). Encephalitis was noted (1.3%), one patient (1.3%) showed diffuse inflammatory changes in the muscles of the neck on MRI. Conclusion: dengue fever management is very critical especially when leaking process start in potential spaces, this stage requires early diagnosis with the help of different imaging modalities