Objective To analyze the distribution of main lesion areas in pulmonary fibrosis induced by paraquat in rats by means of radiographic imaages and varied CT value by using MicroCT. Methods A total of 15 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly (random number) divided into control group and paraquat poisoned group. group. The rats in exposure group were treated with dilute solution of paraquat (4mg/ mL) in dose of 14mg/kg injected intraperitoneally, and the rats in control group were treated with the same volume of saline instead. The lung tissues of all rats were scanned in vivo by using MicroCT on the 3rd, 7th , 14th and 28th days after paraquat or saline administration, respectively. The data from scanned images, rates of observable signs of pulmonary fibrosis and average CT value variation in given regions (region of interest, ROI) were compared between groups and different durations after poisoning by using statistical methods as one factor analysis of variance (t-test). Results Compared with the control group, the rats with acute paraquat poisoning appeared varying degrees of the signs of pulmonary fibrosis. Most of the lesion areas predominantly spread over the lateral regions of the lower lobe of lung, and appeared mainly one week after paraquat poisoning. The opacity of lung shadow seen on the radiograph was significantly increased with time extended after exposure to PQ as a consequence of CT value variation in ROI, and there was no difference in the development of pulmonary fibrosis between right lung and left lung ( P > 0. 05), but there were differences in the extent of fibrosis at different areas in lung (P <0.05 or P < 0.01). Conclusions The signs of pulmonary fibrosis predominantly appeared one week after poisoning. The opacity of lung shadow was increasing gradually during the course of pulmonary fibrosis developed in rats in paraquat poisoning group, and lesion areas predominantly spread over the lateral regions of the lower lube of lung.