Publication Date
2015
Journal Title
West J Emerg Med
Abstract
In patients presenting with severe dyspnea, several diagnostic challenges arise in distinguishing the diagnosis of pneumothorax versus several other pulmonary etiologies like bullous lung disease, pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Distinguishing between large pulmonary bullae and pneumothorax is of the utmost importance, as the acute management is very different. While multiple imaging modalities are available, plain radiographs may be inadequate to make the diagnosis and other advanced imaging may be difficult to obtain. Ultrasound has a very high specificity for pneumothorax. We present a case where a large pulmonary bleb mimics the lung point and therefore inaccurately suggests pneumothorax.
Volume Number
16
Issue Number
3
Pages
447-9
Document Type
Article
EPub Date
2015/05/20
Status
Faculty
Facility
School of Medicine
Primary Department
Emergency Medicine
PMID
DOI
10.5811/westjem.2015.3.24809