Journal List > J Korean Soc Radiol > v.65(2) > 1086975

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Jung, Jeong, and In: Cerebral Air Embolism in a Patient with a Tuberculous-Destroyed Lung during Commercial Air Travel: A Case Report
Neuroradiology
Case Report

Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology 2011; 65(2): 109-112.

Published online: 31 August 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2011.65.2.109

Cerebral Air Embolism in a Patient with a Tuberculous-Destroyed Lung during Commercial Air Travel: A Case Report

Hyun Seok Jung, MD, Hae Woong Jeong, MD, Hyun Sin In, MD

Department of Radiology, Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

Corresponding author: Hae Woong Jeong, MD. Department of Radiology, Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University School of Medicine, 633-165 Gaegeum-dong, Busanjin-gu, Busan 614-735, Korea. Tel. 82-51-890-6549, Fax. 82-51-896-1085, hwjeong2000@lycos.co.kr

Received 15 April 2011       Accepted 29 May 2011

Copyright © 2011 The Korean Society of Radiology

Abstract

A cerebral air embolism is a rare cause of stroke, but may occur in patients undergoing invasive cardiac and pulmonary procedures, as well as in divers suffering pulmonary barotrauma from rapid ascent. A cerebral air embolism due to other causes, especially a change of air pressure from air travel, is particularly rare. Here, we report a case of cerebral air embolism during commercial air travel in a patient with an tuberculous-destroyed lung.

Keywords: Embolisms, Air, Intracranial Embolism, Tuberculosis, Pulmonary, Tomography Scanner, X-Ray Computed, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

A. DWI demonstrates acute infarction in the right frontoparietal and left frontal cortical areas and small hypointense lesion in the right frontal area (arrow).

B. FLAIR image shows diffuse sulcal effacement and cerebral edema in the right cerebral hemisphere.
C. Contrast enhanced T1 weighted image shows multifocal meningeal enhancement in the right frontoparietal lobe.
Note.-DWI = diffusion weighted image, FLAIR = fluid attenuated inversion recovery
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Fig. 2

A. GRE image shows multifocal hypointense lesions in the right frontoparietal lobe and anterior interhemispheric fissure, some of that, with circumscribed margins (arrow).

B. Source image of perfusion CT demonstrates well-defined low attenuated lesion, correspond with well-defined hypointense lesions on GRE, suggesting air embolism (arrow).
Note.-GRE = gradient echo image
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Fig. 3

A. Chest X-ray in day of admission shows tuberculous-destroyed lung in bilateral upper lung zones with large bullae in the right upper lung zone.

B. Source image of anio CT shows tuberculous-destroyed lung in bilateral upper lobe with large bullae in the right upper lobe.
jksr-65-109-g003

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