Although the CT features were characteristic of round atelectasis, the area of hyperdensity was biopsied in this case. This is not typical, since cases with the characteristic CT features of round atelectasis are generally not biopsied and managed conservatively with follow-up imaging ^1,2. A biopsy of round atelectasis will inevitably contain scant lung parenchymal tissue and may lead to clinician uncertainty and repeated unnecessary invasive procedures. As such, a biopsy should only be performed where imaging findings are indeterminate ^1,2.

The histopathology report in this case described limited tissue containing pneumocytes with patchy mild interstitial chronic inflammation, and no features of malignancy.