Bronchocele: Demonstration By 3D Volume Rendering Imaging with Multidetector Computed Tomography: Case Report

Congenital bronchial atresia (CBA) is a rare congenital abnormality of the lung. It results from a congenital focal obliteration of a proximal segmental or sub-segmental bronchus with normal development of distal structures. Because of proksimal bronchial stenosis, the distal bronchi became filled with mucus and form a bronchocele. Three dimensional (3D) volume rendering (VR) imaging was performed with 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) equipment in a patient with CBA and bronchocele. 3D VR images clearly revealed branching nonenhancing tubular structure and the adjacent lung with features of air trapping. A diagnosis of bronchocele was made radiologically. We report a case of bronchocele documented by 3D image reconstruction and VR images using 64-slice MDCT. In this article we report that, the radiologic findings of the broncocele can be shown more clearly with 3D VR technique than standan CT imaging.