Faces of Atelectasis – Position – Location

Upper Lobes
Anterior and Medial Upper Lobes

55M with dyspnea
CXR shows right upper lobe (RUL) atelectasis. Final diagnosis was a central RUL proximal squamous cell carcinoma with extensive filling of the distal bronchi-ectatic segmental and subsegmental airways
Ashley Davidoff TheCommonVein.net
CT scan of Central Squamous Cell Carcinoma with extensive filling of the distal bronchectatic segmental and subsegmental airways with atelectasis of the right upper lobe
Ashley Davidoff TheCommonVein.net

Lingula Superior and Anterior Migration

CT Lingula Atelectasis, Hyperinflation of the Left Lower Lobe, Fissural Displacement, Anterior and Superior Migration
58-year-old female presents with a cough. CT in the sagittal plane shows post obstructive atelectasis of the lingula, hyperinflation of the left lower lobe, superior and anterior migration of the left major fissure, and a small portion of aerated left upper lobe anteriorly. There is a loculated effusion with subsegmental compressive atelectasis of the left lower lobe.
Pathology revealed findings consistent with a carcinoid tumor in the left mainstem bronchus
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net 257Lu 136121
CT Endobronchial Lesion in the Left Main Stem Bronchus and Lingula Atelectasis
58-year-old female presents with a cough. CT in the axial plane shows an obstructing lesion in the left mainstem bronchus of the lung (green arrowhead) with post obstructive atelectasis of the lingula (black arrowhead) and a small portion of aerated left upper lobe anteriorly (white arrowhead). The major fissure is displaced anteriorly.
Pathology revealed findings consistent with a carcinoid tumor of the left bronchus.
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net 257Lu 136110cL

Lower Lobes Posterior and Medial Lower Lobes

Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA) and Atelectasis
77 year old male presents chest discomfort
CT scan without contrast shows atelectasis of the right lower lobe )asterisk c and r) and also seen axial projection (a) magnified in (b) and in (c) magnified in {d) Red arrowheads in b and d show airways filled with material. Aspergillus was isolated at bronchoscopy. Coronal imaging (e magnified in f) show silhouetting of the right hemidiaphragm by the atelectatic lung (white arrowheads
Ashley Davidoff TheCommonVein.net 117786cL

Middle Lobe

Right Middle Lobe
Segmental Atelectasis

Atelectasis,  Mild Bronchial Wall Thickening, and Bronchiolectasis in the RML, Lingula and Bilateral Lower Lobes
CT Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis (ABPA)
48 year old female with a history of asthma presents with productive cough. CT scan 18 months prior confirms atelectasis in the middle lobe (upper panel and right lower panel) .  There is  diffuse  mild multicentric foci of bronchial wall thickening in the segmental and subsegmental airways of  the middle lobe, lingula and the lower lobes bilaterally (upper panel magnified in lower 3 panels). 
Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net

Right Lower Lobe Left Upper Lobe Left Lower Lobe

 

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