Which condition most likely causes discrete spaces of collected fluid in an image?

The condition that most likely causes discrete spaces of collected fluid in an image is cellulitis. This is an acute bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, which can lead to localized inflammation and the accumulation of fluid in the affected area. In imaging, this can manifest as distinct fluid collections or "discrete spaces" due to the edema and inflammatory response triggered by the infection.

Cellulitis can produce clear boundaries between the infected area and the surrounding tissues, making it easy to identify the spaces where fluid has accumulated. This characteristic helps in distinguishing cellulitis from other conditions that do not present with discrete fluid collections.

While thrombosis refers to the formation of a blood clot within a vessel and typically does not lead to visible fluid collections, arterial occlusion results in tissue ischemia that may not present as discrete fluid spaces. Edema, although it involves fluid accumulation, is often more diffuse rather than compartmentalized, making it less likely to produce distinct areas of collected fluid.