title: Unilateral hypertransparency on chest radiograph: the congenital Poland Syndrome.
abstract: Unilateral hypertransparent hemithorax requires a particular diagnostic approach as it can be the result of diverse pulmonary diseases, including pneumothorax, large pulmonary embolus, unilateral large bullae, mucous plag, airway obstruction and contralateral pleural effusion. Congenital syndromes with chest wall abnormalities, are rare, but often underdiagnosed causes. Poland Syndrome consists of such a rare, congenital anomaly and is characterized by the absence of the pectoralis major muscle and upper limb ipsilateral abnormalities. We present a case of a patient with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and a unilateral hypertransparency on chest radiology, attributed to the underlying Poland Syndrome.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Pulmonary Department, "Attikon" University Hospital, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. etomos@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tomos
authors.forename: Andriana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Papaioannou
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vlami
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Apollonatou
authors.forename: Effrosyni D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Manali
authors.forename: Spyros A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Papiris
keywords: anatomy; chest wall; congenital lesions