How is pneumothorax effectively diagnosed? Imaging tests are commonly used for pneumothorax

How to effectively diagnose pneumothorax? Pneumothorax is when air enters the pleural space, causing a state of pneumothorax. Lung tissue and visceral pleura rupture due to lung disease or external forces, or the rupture of fine emphysema bubbles near the lung surface, and air from the lungs and bronchial tubes escaping into the pleural space. This disease is more common in young men or those with chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and tuberculosis. Next, we will mainly look at the imaging examination of the lower pneumothorax.

CT and x-rays are commonly used imaging tests for pneumothorax

X-rays are an important method for diagnosing pneumothorax. Chest x-ray is a routine tool for the diagnosis of pneumothorax, and if there is a high clinical suspicion of pneumothorax followed by a normal anterior chest x-ray, a lateral chest x-ray or lateral decubitus chest x-ray should be performed.Most of the pneumothorax x-rays have clear pneumothorax lines, which are the boundary between the atrophic lung tissue and the gas in the pleural cavity, showing an external convex line shadow, and the outside of the pneumothorax line is a translucent area without lung markings, and the line is compressed lung tissue. In massive pneumothorax, mediastinum and cardiac displacement to the unaffected side may be seen. Gas-fluid level may be seen with pleural effusion. Localized pneumothorax is easily missed on posteroanterior x-ray, and lateral chest x-ray can assist in diagnosis, as well as by rotation on x-ray. If there is a translucent band around the cardiac margin, mediastinal emphysema should be considered. Chest x-ray is the most commonly used test to diagnose pneumothorax, and CT is more sensitive and accurate than chest x-ray for differentiating small pneumothorax, localized pneumothorax, and bullae from pneumothorax. Basic CT of pneumothorax shows a very low-density gas shadow in the pleural space, accompanied by varying degrees of compression and collapse of lung tissue.

Next, let's understand the clinical manifestations of pneumothorax, and if the following symptoms appear, we should seek medical attention in time to confirm the diagnosis.

Clinical manifestations of pneumothorax

Patients often have predisposing factors such as heavy weighting, breath-holding, and strenuous exercise, but there are also patients who have pneumothorax during sleep, and the patient suddenly feels chest pain, shortness of breath, breathlessness on one side, cough but little sputum, and a small amount of closed pneumothorax has shortness of breath first, but gradually stabilizes after a few hours, and X-ray may not be able to show lung compression.If the patient has a large amount of air or has an extensive lung disease, the patient is often unable to lie flat. If lying on the side, the affected side of the pneumothorax is forced to relieve the shortness of breath. The degree of dyspnea is related to the amount of fluid and the extent of the original lung lesions. In the presence of pleural adhesions and impaired pulmonary function, chest pain and shortness of breath may be evident even in a small amount of localized pneumothorax.