Lobar atelectasis: diagnostic pitfalls on chest radiography

Abstract

This pictorial review looks at the pitfalls in the diagnosis of lobar atelectasis on chest radiographs. Lobar atelectasis with marked volume loss is hard to recognize and may be easily missed. Lobar atelectasis presenting as a mass-like opacity may be misdiagnosed as mediastinal or lung tumour. Lobar atelectasis in an unusual location may also be misdiagnosed as other entities. Familiarity with such manifestations and consideration of anatomical alterations as the signs of lobar atelectasis are important in making the correct diagnosis.

“Open lung ventilation optimizes pulmonary function during lung surgery”

“…Additionally, no patient had radiographic evidence of atelectasis in either lung in the PACU or subsequently through to hospital discharge. Although lobar atelectasis is readily discernible by chest radiography, lesser degrees of atelectasis may not be as apparent [12]. During the postoperative hospital stay, there were no pulmonary or other complications, and no mortality.…”

“…All subsequent postoperative chest radiographs were two-view PA and lateral x-rays. Radiograph results were taken from the reports dictated by departmental faculty radiologists reading x-rays using standard radiology criteria [12] who were not involved in the study and de facto they were effectively blinded because they did not know which patients were on study.…”

Persistent Massive Hydropneumothorax in a Young Woman With Pulmonary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

“…9 Pneumothorax ex vacuo is more simply defined as localized pneumothorax around an atelectatic lobe, and indicates the presence of bronchial obstruction. 10,11 Pneumothorax ex vacuo has mostly been reported in children who have aspirated foreign bodies into their right upper lobe bronchi, but there is a reported case of pneumothorax ex vacuo in an adult with small cell lung cancer obstructing the right upper lobe bronchus. 12 Unfortunately, pneumothorax itself causes atelectasis so the association of localized pneumothorax around a collapsed lobe with bronchial obstruction is often difficult to make.…”

The favorable prognostic significance of atelectasis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Results of a prospective observational study

“…Reviewing this aspect, we need to stress that our study was the only one, prospectively designed, and requesting stringent radiologic and bronchoscopic assessment for At diagnosis. On the other hand, the positive diagnosis of At is recognized as a clinical challenge [9][10][11]. Thus, we excluded the patients with uncertain confirmation of At, or patients judged to have false positive radiologic image.…”