Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition
Published on: March 3, 2023
Calcified pleural plaque mimicking a traumatic pneumothorax
1Department of Surgery, Barnet General Hospital, Barnet, Hertfordshire, UK. khalid.elgendy@doctors.org.uk
Pneumothorax, a collapsed lung, often requires emergency treatment. This case highlights a rare chest X-ray finding that mimicked pneumothorax, causing diagnostic challenges in trauma patients.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Radiology
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- Pneumothorax is a frequent emergency department presentation with diverse causes.
- Standard diagnosis involves identifying a lung edge on chest radiography.
- Tube thoracostomy is the recommended treatment for traumatic pneumothorax per ATLS guidelines.
Observation:
- A patient presented with thoracic trauma.
- An unusual radiographic finding mimicked pneumothorax.
- This led to diagnostic confusion.
Findings:
- The case details a diagnostic challenge in interpreting chest radiographs.
- An atypical presentation complicated the identification of a true pneumothorax.
Implications:
- Accurate interpretation of chest imaging is crucial for timely intervention.
- Recognizing unusual radiographic findings can prevent misdiagnosis in trauma.
- This case underscores the importance of considering differential diagnoses in thoracic emergencies.
More Related Videos
05:50International Expert Consensus and Recommendations for Neonatal Pneumothorax Ultrasound Diagnosis and Ultrasound-guided Thoracentesis Procedure
Published on: March 12, 2020
08:05Lung CT Segmentation to Identify Consolidations and Ground Glass Areas for Quantitative Assesment of SARS-CoV Pneumonia
Published on: December 19, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Pneumothorax-I
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
Pneumothorax-II
Clinical Manifestations:
Pleura of the Lungs
Pneumothorax II: Pathophysiology
Pleural Disorders: Types and Brief Description
Pleural Effusion I: Introduction
There are two main types of pleural effusion: transudative and exudative. They are differentiated using Light's criteria,...