A Rare Case of Interlobar Pneumothorax

Serbeze Kabashi-Muçaj; Jeton  Shatri; Kreshnike Dedushi-Hoti; Hakif  Thaqi; Flaka Pasha

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2021.7261

Authors

Serbeze Kabashi-Muçaj Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Pristina, Kosovo; Clinic of Radiology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Pristina, Kosovo
Jeton Shatri Department of Radiology
Kreshnike Dedushi-Hoti Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Pristina, Kosovo; Clinic of Radiology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Pristina, Kosovo
Hakif Thaqi Clinic of Radiology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Pristina, Kosovo
Flaka Pasha Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Pristina, Kosovo; Clinic of Radiology, University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Pristina, Kosovo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2021.7261

Keywords:

Pneumothorax, Multi slice computed tomography, Pleural adhesion

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pneumothorax is a severe medical condition characterized by the collection of air in one or several spaces of the pleura. A rare subtype of pneumothorax where air is restricted in interlobar pleural space, mostly due to the previous fibrous pleural adhesions, is known as interlobar pneumothorax.

CASE PRESENTATION: We present a rare case of a 58-year-old female admitted to the emergency department due to difficulty on breathing, hemoptysis, and discomfort in the right anterior axillary line, which worsened with inspiration and was associated with breathlessness during physical activity. The diagnosis was confirmed by thoracic multi slice computed tomography (MSCT), showing that air was located between the middle and lower lobes of the right lung , measuring 7 × 5 × 2.5 cm (transversal × oblique cranio-caudal × antero-posterior), representing interlobar pneumothorax.

DISCUSSION: Cases of interlobar pneumothorax need to be carefully differentiated and evaluated, while skin folds, overlapping breast margin, interlobar fissure, bullae in the apices, pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, inferior pulmonary ligament air collection, pneumatocele, and air collection in the intrathoracic extrapleural space, can mimic pneumothorax and make diagnosing very challenging.

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