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$This 68 year-old male patient presented with cough and dyspnoea. The PA chest xray above shows a veil-like opacity in the left upper zone, and silhouetting of the left heart border, typical of <a href="/articles/left-upper-lobe-collapse">left upper lobe collapse</a>. The trachea is shifted to the left and there is a small juxtaphrenic peak. The luftsichel sign is present due to the superior segment of the left lower lobe insinuating itself between the collapsed upper lobe and the mediastinum. This patient had a hilar <a href="/articles/bronchogenic_carcinoma">bronchogenic carcinoma</a> causing obstruction of the left upper lobe bronchus. Around 50% of all lung cancers exhibit some degree of atelectasis or consolidation as a result of obstruction of main, lobar or segmental bronchi. Air bronchograms may be absent due to filling of the bronchi with secretions. <a name="Reference"></a><h2> Reference</h2> Webb WR, Higgins CB. Thoracic Imaging: Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Radiology. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins 2005 {Template: Contibuted Blocko}} $

This 68 year-old male patient presented with cough and dyspnoea. The PA chest xray above shows a veil-like opacity in the left upper zone, and silhouetting of the left heart border, typical of left upper lobe collapse. The trachea is shifted to the left and there is a small juxtaphrenic peak. The luftsichel sign is present due to the superior segment of the left lower lobe insinuating itself between the collapsed upper lobe and the mediastinum. This patient had a hilar bronchogenic carcinoma causing obstruction of the left upper lobe bronchus.

Around 50% of all lung cancers exhibit some degree of atelectasis or consolidation as a result of obstruction of main, lobar or segmental bronchi. Air bronchograms may be absent due to filling of the bronchi with secretions.

Reference

Webb WR, Higgins CB. Thoracic Imaging: Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Radiology. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins 2005

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Air bronchogram

contributed by Dr Laughlin Dawes on May 2, 2008

System: Chest

Section: Signs

Tags: lung

refs

Reference

Webb WR, Higgins CB. Thoracic Imaging: Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Radiology. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins 2005

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Used in the following article:

Air bronchogram - “Air bronchogram refers to the phenomenon of air-filled bronchi (dark) being made visible by the opacification of surrounding alveoli (grey - white)...”

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