Unilateral pulmonary hypoplasia in an adult

Abstract

Pulmonary hypoplasia is a bronchopulmonary foregut anomaly characterized by a decrease in the number or size of airways, vessels, and alveoli. Unilateral pulmonary hypoplasia is a rare congenital anomaly, which is frequently associated with other congenital anomalies. Clinical symptoms vary depending on the other system anomalies and severity of pulmonary hypoplasia. Although it is usually diagnosed in infancy and childhood, some cases do not show any symptoms until the adolescent ages. A case of the right-sided pulmonary hypoplasia is described. A 20-year-old male was referred to our department with complaints of cough, breathlessness and right sided chest pain. Chest roentgenogram showed a homogeneous opacity, shifting of the mediastinum, and narrowing of intercostal spaces on the right and an overinflated left lung. Computed tomography scan of the thorax confirmed the diagnosis of right-sided pulmonary hypoplasia. It was not associated with any other developmental anomaly.

Keywords

• Computed tomography thorax
• hypoplasia
• pulmonary
• unilateral
• X-ray