Klebsiella pneumoniae Liver Abscess: CT Imaging Findings, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Radiology Pearls Every Clinician Should Know
Introduction A 61-year-old man presented to the emergency department with severe low back pain that had persisted for one week. He had a high fever of 39.8°C and significant hyperglycemia. Emergency abdominal CT revealed a gas-forming lesion within the liver, ultimately diagnosed as a Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess. Blood cultures and abscess drainage cultures confirmed the pathogen. Following prompt antibiotic therapy and drainage, the patient recovered successfully. While pyogenic liver abscesses have historically been polymicrobial infections, a unique and increasingly recognized syndrome has emerged worldwide: Klebsiella pneumoniae primary liver abscess syndrome (KPLA) . This condition is particularly important because it can spread through the bloodstream and produce devastating metastatic infections involving the eye, brain, lungs, and other organs. Early recognition of medical imaging, especially CT scan diagnosis, can dramatically improve outcomes. For radiologists, emerge...