eMedicine Specialties > Pulmonology > Obstructive Airways Diseases

Emphysema: Multimedia

Author: Berj George Demirjian, MD, Fellow, Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Coauthor(s): Nader Kamangar, MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Multi-campus Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine; Medical Director, Hospitalist/Intensivist Program, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center; Associate Program Director, Combined Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program, Cedars-Sinai/Olive View-UCLA Medical Center/West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Oct 26, 2009

Multimedia

Gross pathology of bullous emphysema shows bullae...Media file 1: Gross pathology of bullous emphysema shows bullae on the surface of the lungs.
Gross pathology of bullous emphysema shows bullae...

Gross pathology of bullous emphysema shows bullae on the surface of the lungs.

Gross pathology of emphysema shows bullae on the ...Media file 2: Gross pathology of emphysema shows bullae on the lung surface.
Gross pathology of emphysema shows bullae on the ...

Gross pathology of emphysema shows bullae on the lung surface.

At high magnification, loss of airway walls and d...Media file 3: At high magnification, loss of airway walls and dilated airspaces are observed in emphysema.
At high magnification, loss of airway walls and d...

At high magnification, loss of airway walls and dilated airspaces are observed in emphysema.

Chest radiograph shows hyperinflation, flattened ...Media file 4: Chest radiograph shows hyperinflation, flattened diaphragms, increased retrosternal space, and hyperlucency of the lung parenchyma in emphysema.
Chest radiograph shows hyperinflation, flattened ...

Chest radiograph shows hyperinflation, flattened diaphragms, increased retrosternal space, and hyperlucency of the lung parenchyma in emphysema.

A CT scan shows emphysematous bullae in upper lob...Media file 5: A CT scan shows emphysematous bullae in upper lobes.
A CT scan shows emphysematous bullae in upper lob...

A CT scan shows emphysematous bullae in upper lobes.

Diffuse emphysema secondary to cigarette smoking.Media file 6: Diffuse emphysema secondary to cigarette smoking.
Diffuse emphysema secondary to cigarette smoking.

Diffuse emphysema secondary to cigarette smoking.

Pressure-volume curve is drawn for a patient with...Media file 7: Pressure-volume curve is drawn for a patient with restrictive lung disease and obstructive disease and is compared to healthy lungs.
Pressure-volume curve is drawn for a patient with...

Pressure-volume curve is drawn for a patient with restrictive lung disease and obstructive disease and is compared to healthy lungs.

Flow-volume curve of lungs with emphysema shows m...Media file 8: Flow-volume curve of lungs with emphysema shows marked decrease in expiratory flows, hyperinflation, and air trapping (patient B) compared to a patient with restrictive lung disease, who has reduced lung volumes and preserved flows (patient A).
Flow-volume curve of lungs with emphysema shows m...

Flow-volume curve of lungs with emphysema shows marked decrease in expiratory flows, hyperinflation, and air trapping (patient B) compared to a patient with restrictive lung disease, who has reduced lung volumes and preserved flows (patient A).

Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV<sub>1</...Media file 9: Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) can be used to evaluate the prognosis in patients with emphysema. The benefit of smoking cessation is shown here because the deterioration in lung function parallels that of a nonsmoker, even in late stages of the disease.
Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV<sub>1</...

Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) can be used to evaluate the prognosis in patients with emphysema. The benefit of smoking cessation is shown here because the deterioration in lung function parallels that of a nonsmoker, even in late stages of the disease.

A CT scan showing severe emphysema and bullous di...Media file 10: A CT scan showing severe emphysema and bullous disease.
A CT scan showing severe emphysema and bullous di...

A CT scan showing severe emphysema and bullous disease.

An emphysematous lung shows increased anteroposte...Media file 11: An emphysematous lung shows increased anteroposterior (AP) diameter, increased retrosternal airspace, and flattened diaphragms on posteroanterior (PA) film.
An emphysematous lung shows increased anteroposte...

An emphysematous lung shows increased anteroposterior (AP) diameter, increased retrosternal airspace, and flattened diaphragms on posteroanterior (PA) film.

An emphysematous lung shows increased anteroposte...Media file 12: An emphysematous lung shows increased anteroposterior (AP) diameter, increased retrosternal airspace, and flattened diaphragms on lateral chest radiograph.
An emphysematous lung shows increased anteroposte...

An emphysematous lung shows increased anteroposterior (AP) diameter, increased retrosternal airspace, and flattened diaphragms on lateral chest radiograph.

The differential diagnosis of unilateral hyperluc...Media file 13: The differential diagnosis of unilateral hyperlucent lung includes pulmonary arterial hypoplasia and Swyer-James syndrome. The expiratory chest radiograph exhibits evidence of air trapping and is helpful in making the diagnosis. Swyer-James syndrome is unilateral bronchiolitis obliterans, which develops during early childhood.
The differential diagnosis of unilateral hyperluc...

The differential diagnosis of unilateral hyperlucent lung includes pulmonary arterial hypoplasia and Swyer-James syndrome. The expiratory chest radiograph exhibits evidence of air trapping and is helpful in making the diagnosis. Swyer-James syndrome is unilateral bronchiolitis obliterans, which develops during early childhood.

Lateral chest radiograph of Swyer-James syndrome ...Media file 14: Lateral chest radiograph of Swyer-James syndrome may demonstrate some of the features of emphysema.
Lateral chest radiograph of Swyer-James syndrome ...

Lateral chest radiograph of Swyer-James syndrome may demonstrate some of the features of emphysema.

More on Emphysema

Overview: Emphysema
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Emphysema
Treatment & Medication: Emphysema
Follow-up: Emphysema
Multimedia: Emphysema
References

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Further Reading

Keywords

emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, chronic obstructive lung disease, chronic lung, chronic bronchitis, airflow obstruction, centriacinar emphysema, centrilobular emphysema, panacinar emphysema, paraseptal emphysema, distal acinar emphysema, alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, AAT

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Berj George Demirjian, MD, Fellow, Division of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Berj George Demirjian, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American Medical Association, California Medical Association, California Thoracic Society, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Nader Kamangar, MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Multi-campus Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine; Medical Director, Hospitalist/Intensivist Program, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center; Associate Program Director, Combined Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship Program, Cedars-Sinai/Olive View-UCLA Medical Center/West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Nader Kamangar, MD, FACP, FCCP, FAASM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Sleep Medicine, American Association of Bronchology, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, American Thoracic Society, California Thoracic Society, and Society of Critical Care Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Helen M Hollingsworth, MD, Director, Adult Asthma and Allergy Services, Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Boston Medical Center
Helen M Hollingsworth, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, American College of Chest Physicians, American Thoracic Society, and Massachusetts Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

CME Editor

Timothy D Rice, MD, Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine
Timothy D Rice, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Physicians
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Zab Mosenifar, MD, Director, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Director, Women's Guild Pulmonary Disease Institute, Executive Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center; Professor of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Zab Mosenifar, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Medical Research, and American Thoracic Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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