When Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome is not ARDS

with this manuscript we would report the interesting images of an unusual case of lipoid pneumonia due to vaselin aspiration, that presented with acute respiratory failure requiring ICU admission and radiologically mimicked ARDS. The patients suffered from neurological impairment that favored the aspiration process. Diagnosis confirmation came from BAL cytological analysis and supplemental anamnestic investigation. It is quite rare that lipoid pneumonia presents as an acute respiratory illness and this is usually related to an acute and/or massive exposure to fatty substance. It seems even rarer a radiological presentation as ARDS on HRCT. We believe that our experience, reported through the images that we have commented with this manuscript, could be relevant for clinicians in order to better define all the possible presentations of lipoid pneumonia.