Case 4 - Pneumothorax on Chest CT

PROCEDURE: CT Chest w/o Contrast #4
CLINICAL INDICATION: pneumothorax; Other
TECHNIQUE: Non-gated spiral axial images of the chest were obtained without intravenous contrast.
FINDINGS:
MEDIASTINUM/HEART/VESSELS:
Imaged thyroid is normal. Heart size is normal. No pericardial effusion. Main pulmonary artery is nonenlarged. No significant coronary atherosclerotic disease. Aorta is normal in course and caliber. Thoracic esophagus is unremarkable. No pathologically significant axillary, hilar, or mediastinal lymphadenopathy.
AIRWAY/LUNGS/PLEURA:
Central airways are patent. Small residual right pneumothorax with right-sided chest tube terminates within the right minor fissure with approximately 1.8 cm in length intrathoracic with associated small degree of subcutaneous emphysema. Small pleural soft tissue thickening containing a focus of air within the right posterior lung base (series 2 image 95). No pleural effusion. No cystic lung disease. No apical blebs.
VISIBLE ABDOMEN:
Visible upper abdomen is unremarkable.
SOFT TISSUES/BONES:
No acute fracture or aggressive osseous lesions.
IMPRESSION:
1. Small residual right pneumothorax with right chest tube within the minor fissure only approximately 1.8 cm intrathoracic, correlate with desired position.
2. Small pleural soft tissue thickening containing a focus of air within the right posterior lung base of uncertain etiology. While this may may be an incidental finding, given the absence of cystic lung disease or blebs, this may also represent the source for patient's spontaneous pneumothorax