What condition is represented by a fluffy infiltrate in diagnostic imaging?

A fluffy infiltrate in diagnostic imaging typically suggests pulmonary edema, which reflects the accumulation of fluid in the interstitial and alveolar spaces of the lungs. This appearance occurs when the walls of the alveoli become engorged with fluid, leading to a hazy or fluffy appearance on X-rays. The fluffy infiltrate is often bilateral and can be associated with conditions such as heart failure, where increased pressures in the pulmonary capillaries lead to leakage of fluid.

In contrast, pulmonary embolus usually presents with more focal findings, such as wedge-shaped opacities indicative of infarction, rather than a generalized fluffy infiltrate. Tuberculosis often shows more localized infiltrates, cavitary lesions, or consolidations rather than a diffuse fluffy appearance. Atelectasis, or lung collapse, is typically seen as more solid or dense areas on imaging, often with associated shifts in the structures of the thorax, rather than the fluffy infiltrates indicative of pulmonary edema.