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The CT fallen-lung sign

  • Chest radiology Case report
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Abstract.

On chest radiograph, the diagnosis of tracheobronchial tear is usually suspected because of the persistence of a pneumothorax after chest tube insertion. Since this radiographic pattern is nonspecific, the diagnosis is usually made by bronchoscopy and delayed. The fallen-lung sign consists in the fall of the collapsed lung away from the mediastinum occurring when the normal central bronchial anchoring attachment of the lung is disrupted. In contrast to the persistent pneumothorax, this sign is specific but rarely observed. Our purpose is to present the corresponding CT patterns observed in two cases of right stem bronchus tear, consisting in a caudal-dependent displacement of the right upper lobe bronchus which becomes obliquely oriented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, CHU de Charleroi, oulevard Janson 92, B-6000 Charleroi, Belgium, , , , , , BE

    D. Tack & C. Delcour

  2. Department of Intensive Care, CHU de Charleroi, oulevard Janson 92, B-6000 Charleroi, Belgium, , , , , , BE

    P. Defrance

  3. Department of Radiology, Hôpital Erasme, Route de Lennik 808, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium, , , , , , BE

    P. A. Gevenois

Authors
  1. D. Tack
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  2. P. Defrance
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  3. C. Delcour
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  4. P. A. Gevenois
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Additional information

Received: 19 April 1999; Revised: 5 August 1999; Accepted: 16 September 1999

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Tack, D., Defrance, P., Delcour, C. et al. The CT fallen-lung sign. Eur Radiol 10, 719–721 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s003300050992

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s003300050992

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