Air bronchogram

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Air bronchogram refers to the phenomenon of air-filled bronchi (dark) being made visible by the opacification of surrounding alveoli (grey/white). It is almost always caused by a pathologic airspace/alveolar process, in which something other than air fills the alveoli. Air bronchograms will not be visible if the bronchi themselves are opacified (e.g. by fluid) and thus indicate patent proximal airways.

Air bronchograms can be seen with several processes:

pulmonary consolidation
pulmonary oedema: especially with alveolar oedema ³
non-obstructive atelectasis
severe interstitial lung disease
neoplasms: bronchioloalveolar carcinoma; pulmonary lymphoma
pulmonary infarct
pulmonary haemorrhage
normal expiration

Air bronchograms that persist for weeks despite appropriate antimicrobial therapy should raise the suspicion of a neoplastic process. CT may be planned in such cases.

~~-<a href="/articles/pulmonary-oedema">pulmonary oedema</a>: especially with <a href="/articles/alveolar-oedema">alveolar oedema </a><sup>3</sup>~~
+<a href="/articles/pulmonary-oedema">pulmonary oedema</a>: especially with <a title="alveolar oedema" href="/articles/pulmonary-alveolaroedema">alveolar oedema</a> <sup>3</sup>

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Air bronchogram

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