Congenital Bronchial Atresia

History: 35 year old male with abnormal chest radiograph. The classic triad of bronchial atresia is a bronchocele, hyperlucent distal lung, and hypoperfusion of the distal lung segment. Bronchial atresia is on the diffential diagnosis for unilateral hyperlucent lung.

radiologypics

January 22, 2013

1–2 minutes

bronchial atresia, chest, Congenital, lung abnormality

History: 35 year old male with abnormal chest radiograph.

Single frontal chest radiogaph shows a conspicuous cylindrical opacity near the left hilum, with hyperlucency of the left upper lung. Note also the mediastinum is shifted to the right.

CT of the chest in lung windows confirms the opacity on the CXR is in fact a bronchocele, and there is distal hyperexpansion and hypoperfusion of the left upper lobe. Again, the mediastinum is shifted to the right.

The classic triad of bronchial atresia is a bronchocele, hyperlucent distal lung, and hypoperfusion of the distal lung segment. Bronchial atresia is on the diffential diagnosis for unilateral hyperlucent lung.