Congenital bronchial atresia presenting as a cavitary lesion on chest radiography: a case report

BACKGROUND: Congenital bronchial atresia is a rare anomaly, which usually presents in adulthood as an incidental finding on routine examinations. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report we present a patient with a cavitary lesion at his right upper lobe, found by chance on chest radiography. Computed tomography of the chest revealed the characteristic findings of a mucocele with distal oligemia and hyperlucency of the affected lung parenchyma. Further examination including bronchoscopy virtually excluded other possible disorders and the diagnosis of congenital bronchial atresia was established. CONCLUSION: The radiological presentation of congenital bronchial atresia may occasionally mimic serious lung diseases. The procedure of choice for the diagnosis is the computed tomography of the chest. Bronchoscopy is not diagnostic but is valuable in doubtful cases to exclude different disorders.