Presentation
Unknown.
Patient Data
The apical segment of left lower lobe is overextended and contains morphology finger-in-glove changes attributable to bronchocele.
Case Discussion
Bronchial atresia is a rare anomaly that affects more often segmental bronchi near their origin, however, even the subsegmental or lobar bronchi can be involved. The bronchi of the upper lobe are the most frequently affected. The bronchi distal to the stenosis mucus filling up a form bronchocele that appears radiologically as a round nodule. Because of the obstruction, typically the ipsilateral lung is hypoplastic or atretic and radiologically opaque, while the contralateral is overdistended. Sometimes the alveoli supplied by atretic bronchus are ventilated by holes of Kohn and ducts of Lambert with air trapping for which the lung or lobe involved appear radiologically lucent. Bronchial atresia is usually asymptomatic.