Septic Pulmonary Embolism in a Patient Who Was an Intravenous Drug Addict

Septic pulmonary embolism (SPE) is a pulmonary infarction and infection that is caused by pulmonary embolization from an infected fibrin thrombus that occludes the pulmonary arteries. SPE is a rare subtype of pulmonary embolism clinically characterized by fever, respiratory distress, and pulmonary infiltrates seen on radiological imaging. In the chest computed tomography of SPE, multiple air cysts; wedge-shaped opacities in the periphery of the lungs; multiple diffuse, small opacities mimicking bronchopneumonia; bilateral nodules; and cavitary nodules in the lungs can be seen. Case Report: A 34-week-old male patient presented to our emergency department with complaints of chest and back pain, shortness of breath, and coughing up bloody sputum. The patient was addicted to heroin for 10 years and was a smoker for 15 years. In his chest x-ray, multiple diffuse opacities were present in both lungs. Thoracic computed tomography revealed multiple hyperdense nodular lesions in both lung parenchyma. Since these findings were consistent with SPE, the patient was hospitalized in the intensive care unit for further treatment. Conclusion: The initial clinical and radiological features are often not specific to the disorder, and therefore, it is difficult to make the diagnosis. In patients with predisposing factors, if symptoms and radiological findings are compatible with SPE, the diagnosis should be kept in mind. In this article, we present the case of a 34-year-old male patient who was an intravenous drug addict and was diagnosed with SPE.