CTICasesEx Vacuo Pneumothorax post-Mastectomy
Imaging findings
Chest radiograph in a patient post-bilateral mastectomy shows a small right apical pneumothorax that is strictly confined to the space of the collapsed right upper lobe. The pneumothorax resolved spontaneously without intervention as the lobe re-expanded.
Key takeaways
Pneumothorax ex vacuo is a benign phenomenon where air enters the pleural space to occupy the volume vacated by a rapidly collapsing lobe. It remains confined to the site of lobar collapse, is not under tension, and should not be treated with a chest tube.
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