Rounded atelectasis

Bayeux MC, Letoumeux M, Brochard P, et al. 1998. Round atelectasis and asbestos A review of 26 patients. Rev Mai Resp 15 281-286. 

Voisin C, Fisekci F, Voisin-Saltiel S, et al. 1995. Asbestos-related rounded atelectasis Radiologic and mineralogic data in 23 cases. Chest 107 477-481. 

In the recent American Thoracic Society statement, a chest film clearly showing the characteristic signs of asbestosis in the presence of a compatible history of exposure is adequate for diagnosis (American Thoracic Society 2004). Although conventional CT is superior to the chest radiograph in identifying parenchymal lesions, rounded atelectasis, and pleural plaques, this has been displaced by... 

Nonneoplastic pleural disease Pleural effusions Pleural fibrosis Pleural plaques Rounded atelectasis Nonneoplastic parenchymal disease Asbestosis... 

Rounded atelectasis is a form of scarring of the pleural with contraction to form a pseudo-mass in the underlying lung (Hillerdal 1989 Mintzer... 

Fig. 2.1.16. Rounded atelectasis. The lesion is caused by pleural scar forming under a plaque with traction and twisting of the underlying lung (arrow) to produce a radiographically visible lesion. From Churg and Green (1998), used with permission...

Fig.3.1.8a-c. Thin-section computed tomography images from the upper (b) and lower (c) lobes of a 67-year-old male smoker with asbestos exposme demonstrate centrilobular emphysema in the upper lobes and thickened septal lines in the subpleural region on the left (arrows). The extent of emphysema and interstitial change is not readily apparent on the chest radiograph (a). An area of rounded atelectasis with a typical comet s tail appearance is seen within the right lower lobe (arrowhead)... 

Fig. 8.15a,b. Computed tomography scan of the chest photographed in mediastinal (a) and pulmonary (b) window settings shows a small amount of remnant fluid within the right pleural cavity in a patient who had a benign asbestos pleurisy. Note the presence of bilateral calcified pleural plaques, and parenchymal bands and rounded atelectasis in the right lower lobe... 

With the recent extensive use of CT in asbestos-exposed workers, attention has been paid to lung involvement associated with pleural thickening in the form of parenchymal bands and rounded atelectasis that reflect the fibrosis of the visceral pleura (Solomon 1989 Cohen et al. 1993 Gevenois et al. 1998). These associated findings help us to distinguish visceral pleural fibrosis from parietal pleural plaques and have revealed that visceral pleural fibrosis can be focal. 

Fig. 8.17. Lateral view of a bronchography shows a rounded atelectasis in the right middle lobe, with the comet tail of bronchi sweeping into the posterior and inferior aspect of the atelectasis...

Fig. 8.18. Lateral radiograph shows a posterior rounded atelectasis large arrow) associated with parenchymal bands thin arrows)...

Fig. 8.19. Computed tomography scan of the chest shows a rounded atelectasis in the left lower lobe associated with a left diffuse pleural thickening. Note the backward displacement of the left fissure compared with the right major fissure, as the evidence of lung volume loss in the surrounding lung. Other findings are the partial interposition of lung between the pleura and the mass and the visible comet tail of vessels and bronchi sweeping into the medial and lateral aspect of the mass...

Mintzer RA, Cugell DW (1982) The association of ashestos-induced pleural disease and rounded atelectasis. Chest... 

Mintzer RA, Gore RM, Vogelzang RL, Holz S (1981) Rounded atelectasis and its association with asbestos-induced pleural disease. Radiology 139 567-570 Mitchev K, Dumortier P, De Vuyst P (2002) Black spots and hyaline pleural plaques on the parietal pleura of 150 urban necropsy cases. Am J Surg Pathol 26 1198-1206 Monchaux G, Bignon J, Hirsch A, Sebastien P (1982) Translocation of mineral fibers through the respiratory system after injection into the pleural cavity of rats. Ann Occup Hyg 26 309-318... 

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