Lobar atelectasis or lobar collaps is an important finding on a chest x-ray and has a limited differential diagnosis. The most common causes of atelectasis are: - Bronchial carcinoma in smokers - Mucus plug in patients on mechanical ventilation or astmathics (ABPA) - Malpositioned endotracheal tube - Foreign body in children Sometimes lobar atelectasis produces only mild volume loss due to overinflation of the other lungparts. The illustration summarizes the findings of the different types of lobar atelectasis. #Diagnosis #Radiology #CXR #Lobar #Collapse #Patterns #Comparison #RadiologyAssistant
