Computed Tomography findings in patients with pneumothorax

Pleura is a thin layer of mesothelial cells covering the lungs and the surface of the chest wall. The layer forms a parietal and a visceral pleura between which lies the pleural space which normally contains a very small amount of fluid. Pneumothorax is defined as the presence of air in the pleural space. Pneumothorax can be divided into primary when there is no underlying lung disease or secondary when there is underlying lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis and other respiratory conditions. In addition, pneumothorax can be divided into spontaneous, traumatic and iatrogenic. Pneumothorax can be diagnosed by a clinical examination but requires radiological confirmation usually using a chest radiograph. However, many patients would require further imaging including computed tomography (CT), which may confirm the diagnosis and reveal the underlying reason for the pneumothorax. In this report we describe the findings of computed tomography in patients with pneumothorax.