title: Value of computed tomography of the lung in the management of primary spontaneous pneumothorax.
abstract: The treatment of patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax remains controversial, since recurrence and the ultimate need for thoracotomy [corrected] cannot be predicted. In the current study, computed tomography (CT) of the lung was performed prospectively on 26 consecutive patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax to determine whether the size and/or the number of apical blebs would correlate with recurrence and/or need for thoracotomy [corrected]. Both the number of blebs and the bleb score (calculated by the number of blebs multiplied by a numeric value assigned a range of bleb sizes) of the affected lung was significantly greater in patients with a history of recurrent pneumothorax and/or ultimate need for thoracotomy [corrected] as treatment. CT of the lung may be useful in predicting the natural history of pneumothorax.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Ohio.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Shipley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013908:Thoracotomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed