An adult patient presenting with right unilateral pulmonary agenesis: a case report and literature review

Abstract

Pulmonary agenesis is a rare developmental defect in which there is complete absence of one or both lungs. Although the diagnosis is often made during childhood, asymptomatic patients can be diagnosed later due to the absence of comorbid anomalies. Chest radiography with an elevation of the hemidiaphragm and heart shifted to the right should make physicians suspicious for right lung agenesis. Here, we present a case report of a 53-year-old male with unilateral pulmonary agenesis of right lung found incidentally. He had a complaint of dyspnea. The respiratory system examination revealed no breathing sounds on the right side with normal breathing sounds on the left side. A posterior anterior chest radiograph revealed homogenous opacity of the middle and lower radiological lung zone with elevation of the right hemidiaphragm. In addition, the trachea and heart were shifted to the right side. Contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography revealed the absence of the right lung parenchyma, right main bronchus, and right main pulmonary artery and vein. The left lung had normal pulmonary vasculature, was hyperinflated, and partially extended to the right hemithorax. A pulmonary conus was formed by only the left pulmonary artery. No congenital anomalies were detected.