Which imaging study is used to confirm pneumothorax by showing evidence of lung collapse?

Which imaging study is used to confirm pneumothorax by showing evidence of lung collapse?

• A. Chest X-ray
• B. ECG
• C. MRI
• D. Spirometry

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that confirming a pneumothorax relies on imaging that reveals air in the pleural space and the resulting lung collapse. A chest X-ray is the standard test for this because it shows a visceral pleural line where the lung ends, with absence of lung markings beyond that line indicating the collapsed lung. On upright films you may also see a sharp edge of the lung and, in a tension pneumothorax, possible mediastinal shift. Other tests don’t visualize the pleural space in the same way: ECG looks at electrical activity of the heart, MRI is not the rapid first choice for acute detection, and spirometry measures airflow rather than anatomy. Chest X-ray thus provides the best confirmation of pneumothorax.

The key idea is that confirming a pneumothorax relies on imaging that reveals air in the pleural space and the resulting lung collapse. A chest X-ray is the standard test for this because it shows a visceral pleural line where the lung ends, with absence of lung markings beyond that line indicating the collapsed lung. On upright films you may also see a sharp edge of the lung and, in a tension pneumothorax, possible mediastinal shift. Other tests don’t visualize the pleural space in the same way: ECG looks at electrical activity of the heart, MRI is not the rapid first choice for acute detection, and spirometry measures airflow rather than anatomy. Chest X-ray thus provides the best confirmation of pneumothorax.