Dark bronchus sign

Last revised by Owen Kang on 31 Mar 2020

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Chen T, Kang O, Rauf A, et al. Dark bronchus sign. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 18 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-30516

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-30516

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/30516

rID:

30516

Article created:

16 Aug 2014, Tony Chen

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Tony Chen had no recorded disclosures.

View Tony Chen's current disclosures

Last revised:

31 Mar 2020, Owen Kang

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Owen Kang had no recorded disclosures.

View Owen Kang's current disclosures

Revisions:

8 times, by 8 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Chest

Sections:

Signs

Tags:

cases

Synonyms:

Black bronchus sign

The dark bronchus sign is the appearance of a relatively darker bronchus as compared to adjacent ground glass opacity. Normally, the density of lung parenchyma and the bronchiolar lumen is similar. In cases of ground glass opacity, the bronchiolar lumen within the affected lung parenchyma appears relatively darker and helps to discern even subtle or diffuse ground glass opacification. If the ground glass opacity progresses to consolidation, air bronchograms will be visualized.

This sign is useful to identify diffuse ground glass opacity on HRCT chest in cases of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia that may present with a normal or equivocal chest radiograph in the early course of the disease ¹^,4.