Medical image of the month: giant bulla

Abstract

No abstract available. Article truncated after 150 words. Clinical Background: A 49-year-old gentleman with an extensive smoking history who was transferred from an outside hospital for higher level of care for management of his acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. His outside chest radiograph (Figure 1) demonstrated marked oligemia of the left lung with displacement of the cardiomediastinal silhouette to the right. Subtle linear parenchymal markings are noted in the lower lobe suggesting bullous disease. There is extensive airspace disease of the right lung. A CT of the chest (Figure 2) demonstrated extensive bullous disease with a giant bulla noted in the left upper lobe. The patient was transferred to the MICU for further management of his hypoxemic respiratory failure. A CT surgery consult was obtained, and he was deemed not to be a surgical candidate given his tenuous clinical status. Discussion: A bulla is defined as an air-containing space measuring greater than 1 cm in diameter and surrounded by …

Keywords

• bulla
• bullae
• bullectomy
• centrilobular emphysema
• giant bulla
• paraseptal emphysema
• chest x-ray
• CT scan
• oligemia
• cigarette smoking