In a past study of hyperoxia-induced lung injury, the extensive lymphatic filling could have resulted from lymphatic proliferation or simple lymphatic recruitment. This study sought to determine whether brief lung injury could produce similar changes, to show which lymphatic compartments fill with edema, and to compare their three-dimensional structure. Tracheostomized rats were ventilated at high tidal volume (12-16 ml) or low tidal volume (3-5 ml) or allowed to breathe spontaneously for 25 min. Light microscopy showed more perivascular, interlobular septal, and alveolar edema in the animals ventilated at high tidal volume (P < 0.0001). Scanning electron microscopy of lymphatic casts showed extensive filling of the perivascular lymphatics in the group ventilated at high tidal volume (P < 0.01), but lymphatic filling was greater in the nonventilated group than in the group that was ventilated at low tidal volume (P < 0.01). The three-dimensional structures of the cast interlobular and perivascular lymphatics were similar. There was little filling and no difference in pleural lymphatic casts among the three groups. More edema accumulated in the surrounding lymphatics of larger blood vessels than smaller blood vessels. Brief high-tidal-volume lung injury caused pulmonary edema similar to that caused by chronic hyperoxic lung injury, except it was largely restricted to perivascular and septal lymphatics and prelymphatic spaces.