2017 Volume 31 Issue 4 Pages 544-548
Round atelectasis (RA) is a non-malignant disease usually related to asbestos pleural plaque and pleural fluid accumulation, but it could be related to pneumothorax. Typical CT findings include a pulmonary mass with a "comet tail sign". In such cases, RA shows chronic enlargement. It may be difficult to rule out lung malignancies. A 65-year-old woman presented with an enlarging mass in the apical region of the right lung 2 years after the first operation for pneumothorax. She underwent a right upper lobectomy to rule out malignancy. Pathological findings of the resected RUL showed no evidence of malignancy, and it was diagnosed as RA. We report a case of enlarging RA related to chronic pneumothorax.
