Crazy paving refers to a pattern seen on

computed tomography A computed tomography scan (CT scan), formerly called computed axial tomography scan (CAT scan), is a medical imaging technique used to obtain detailed internal images of the body. The personnel that perform CT scans are called radiographers or ...

of the chest, involving lobular septal thickening with variable alveolar filling. The finding is seen in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis, and other diseases. Its name comes from its resemblance to irregular paving stones, called

crazy paving Crazy paving is a means of Pavement (material), hard-surfacing used outdoors, most frequently in gardens. Paving stone (flooring), Paving stones of irregular size and shape are laid in a haphazard manner sometimes with Mortar (masonry), mortar f ...

Causes

There are variety of causes for crazy paving patterns: infection, cancer, blood related disorders, diseases caused by inhalation of particles, and

idiopathic disease An idiopathic disease is any disease with an unknown cause or mechanism of apparent spontaneous origin. For some medical conditions, one or more causes are somewhat understood, but in a certain percentage of people with the condition, the cause ...

. Specific lung disorders that can cause such patterns are: pneumocystis pneumonia, mucinous bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis,

sarcoidosis Sarcoidosis (; also known as Besnier–Boeck–Schaumann disease) is a disease involving abnormal collections of White blood cell, inflammatory cells that form lumps known as granulomata. The disease usually begins in the lungs, skin, or lymph n ...

, nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, exogenous lipoid pneumonia, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and pulmonary hemorrhage syndromes.

References

Radiologic signs Respiratory system imaging