TITLE:
Post-Natal Spontaneous Resolution of a Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation in an Infant: Plain Radiographic and CT Manifestations
AUTHORS:
John Amodio, Agnes Perenyi, Jonathan Zember, Matthew Smith
KEYWORDS:
Congenital Cystic Pulmonary Malformation; Spontaneous Resolution; Pneumothorax; Infant
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Medical Imaging,
Vol.2 No.2,
June
13,
2012
ABSTRACT: We present a case of a near-term infant who developed respiratory distress, shortly after birth. Chest X-ray showed a right sided tension pneumothorax (PTX) with a large air containing structure at the base of the right hemithorax. The pneumothorax was partially evacuated with needle aspiration at which time the patient became asymptomatic, despite a small residual pneumothorax. CT scan of the chest confirmed a multilocular air-filled structure within the right lower lobe, most likely consistent with a congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM). Subsequently, there was spontaneous resolution of the PTX and CPAM prior to surgical intervention. This case illustrates post-natal spontaneous resolution of a CPAM, thus obviating the need for surgical removal.