A Case of Giant Emphysema Mimicking Pneumothorax in Chest X-Ray.

Lee, Hyun Kyung; Na, Jong Chun; Lee, Sung Soon; Ryu, Seok Jong; Lee, Young Min; Jin, Jae Yong; Lee, Hyuk Pyo; Choi, Soo Jeon; Yum, Ho Kee

doi:2003.55.2.211

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 55(2); 2003 > Article

Case Report

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2003;55(2):211-216.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2003.55.2.211 Published online August 1, 2003.

A Case of Giant Emphysema Mimicking Pneumothorax in Chest X-Ray.

Hyun Kyung Lee, Jong Chun Na, Sung Soon Lee, Seok Jong Ryu, Young Min Lee, Jae Yong Jin, Hyuk Pyo Lee, Soo Jeon Choi, Ho Kee Yum

¹Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. pulho@korea.com
²Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Inje University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

A 49-year-old male presented with a giant bullous emphysematous lung mimicking a pneumothorax. The initial chest X-ray revealed that the left lung was totally collapsed. A chest tube was inserted at the emergency room, after that an iatrogenic pneumothorax developed. The HRCT showed giant bullous emphysema mimicking a pneumothorax. The pneumothorax spontaneously resolved without special treatment. His bullous lung lesion had remained unchanged until last follow-up.

Key Words: Giant bullous emphysema, Pneumothorax