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Azygos lobe without azygos vein as a sign of previous iatrogenic pneumothorax: two case reports

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Abstract

Background

A spontaneous pneumothorax appears to be rarely seen in patients with an azygos lobe, although this normal variant is incidentally found on CT and chest X-ray. The displacement of the azygos vein from the azygos lobe to the paramediastinal position indicates previous pneumothorax.

Methods

We report two patients (a 59 and a 27-year-old female) where the finding of an azygos lobe without an azygos vein proved to be a sign of previous iatrogenic pneumothorax.

Conclusions

Documentation of an azygos lobe without azygos vein is highly suggestive of a previous pneumothorax. This observation may indicate an iatrogenic cause, because of the possible protective effect of an azygos lobe to the occurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Prof. Dr. med Borut Marincek, MD, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Medical Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, for revision of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut fuer Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie sowie Nuklearmedizin, Tièchestr. 99, 8037, Zurich, Switzerland

    Thomas Betschart

  2. Institut fuer Medizinische Radiologie, Buergerspital Solothurn/Spital Grenchen soH, Schoengruenstr. 42, 4500, Solothurn, Switzerland

    Gerhard W. Goerres

Authors
  1. Thomas Betschart
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  2. Gerhard W. Goerres
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Correspondence to Gerhard W. Goerres.

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Betschart, T., Goerres, G.W. Azygos lobe without azygos vein as a sign of previous iatrogenic pneumothorax: two case reports. Surg Radiol Anat 31, 559–562 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-009-0479-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-009-0479-x

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