What does ground glass look like on a chest x-ray?

Ground-glass opacity on a chest x-ray appears as a hazy, increased density within the lung tissues. Unlike tissue consolidation or complete obscuration of lung markings, ground-glass opacity allows lung vessels and underlying bronchial structures to remain partially visible. It results from a slight increase in the density of the lung parenchyma, such as interstitial thickening, inflammation, or fluid accumulation, without complete airspace obliteration.