Inferior vena cava thrombosis and sepsis are serious diseases. Authors present the case of young woman with low back pain and increased inflammatory markers. She was admitted to a hospital and treated for acute pyelonephritis. Her status deteriorated, she suffered from dyspnoea and a plain radiograph of the chest revealed lung oedema combined with multiple cavitated noduls. The ultrasonogram showed partial inferior vena cava thrombosis. CT revealed abscesses in paravertebral muscles and multiple nodular cavitating opacities in the lungs, a typical finding for septic pulmonary emboli. From these radiologic findings and blood culture the diagnosis was made and appropriate treatment was provided. The case shows the importance of imaging methods in the diagnosis of such severe conditions.

        Key words: septic pulmonary emboli - inferior vena cava thrombosis - paravertebral abscesses