CT findings in Swyer-James syndrome

Swyer-James syndrome (SJS) is usually diagnosed with plain chest radiographs obtained during inspiration/expiration. The authors studied patients with CT to assess its value in the evaluation of this syndrome. In patients with SJS, CT was useful in the determination of bronchial patency (all nine patients), lung parenchymal changes (subpleural infiltrates in six patients, atelectasis in two, and cavities in two), and the extent and degree of bronchiectasis (all nine patients). If CT is used for the evaluation of bronchiectasis, knowledge of the main findings associated with SJS (hyperlucent lung without anteroposterior gradient attenuation [n = 8], small lung [n = 6], and diminished central and peripheral pulmonary arteries [n = 9]) should facilitate the diagnosis of associated SJS. Expiration CT would support the diagnosis with demonstration of air trapping.