Case Study

CT – Pulmonary bulla rupture with spontaneous pneumothorax in a 6 year old MN Newfoundland

This 6 year old MN Newfoundland has a history of recurrent pneumothorax of one week duration, requiring 4 chest taps. Suspect pulmonary bulla.

DX

The findings are consistent with history of a spontaneous pneumothorax after rupture of a pulmonary bulla.

Image Interpretation

CT of the thorax –

The lung lobes bilaterally are retracted from the thoracic wall and a mild to moderate amount of free gas is noted within the pleural cavities.

The ventrocaudal margin of the right cranial lung lobe presents a thin walled gas filled cavitary lesion of 28 mm diameter.

The ventral portion margin of the right middle lung lobe presents a thin walled gas filled cavitary lesion of 10 mm diameter.

The dependent peripheral aspects of the lung parenchyma present ill-defined areas of soft tissue attenuation accompanied by a reduced volume. Airbronchograms are noted in these regions.

Small thin walled gas filled pleural folds are noted cranial to the heart base.

Outcome

Moderate bilateral pneumothorax
 Cavitary lesions right cranial and right middle lung lobe
 Compression atelectasis dependent areas of the lung, due to general anesthesia
 Trapped gas in pleural and mediastinal folds
 Incidental pleural scarring of the caudoventral mediastinal reflection
Lobectomy of the leaking lung lobe(s) has been performed already.