Chest radiograph findings mirror the clinical course: opacity, cavity formation, air-fluid levels, and possible fibrosis/calcification or effusion.
General Management
Treatment guided by severity
Intravenous antimicrobial therapy coupled with prompt drainage and surgical debridement when indicated
Various antibiotics are used (based on likely organisms and patient factors)
Respiratory Care Treatment Protocols
Oxygen Therapy Protocol
Bronchopulmonary Hygiene Therapy Protocol
Lung Expansion Therapy Protocol
Differential and Imaging Considerations
Reactivation tuberculosis can present with cavitary lesions and air-fluid levels, requiring differentiation from lung abscess during evaluation (clinical context and microbiology guide management)