What becomes of pulmonary infarcts?

In 32 patients, 58 angiographically proven pulmonary infarcts were followed for 3 months or longer by serial chest radiography. Complete clearing was seen in 29 (50%) of the infarcts on chest radiography. In the other 29 infarcts that left residual findings, linear scars were identified in 14, pleural diaphragmatic adhesions in nine, and localized pleural thickening in six; in all cases the features were diminutive when compared with the original abnormality. Follow-up perfusion lung images at similar time intervals to the chest films were available for 44 infarcts. Seven of these showed complete resolution and the other 37 showed a residual but much smaller perfusion defect. None of the patients had known preexisting pulmonary disease. The frequency of permanent radiographic scarring seemed to be the same at all ages.