CASE REPORT   

Journal of Radiological Review 2022 March;9(1):32-6

DOI: 10.23736/S2723-9284.21.00171-8

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Diagnostic role of lung ultrasound in a case of empyema necessitans

Margherita TRINCI ¹, Edoardo LEONE ¹ ✉, Riccardo FERRARI ¹, Michele GALLUZZO ¹, Vittorio MIELE ²

¹ Department of Emergency Radiology, San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, Rome, Italy; ² Department of Radiology, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy

Empyema necessitans is a rare complication of thoracic empyema, that occurs when the infection spreads outside of the pleural space and involves the soft tissues of the chest wall. In literature, a lot of cases report the key role of computed tomography in the diagnosis of empyema necessitans. Ultrasonography is also an excellent imaging method for soft tissue and collections evaluation. We presented a case of empyema necessitans in an eleven-month-old baby-girl, that arrived in our Pediatric Emergency Department with a swelling of the left lower side of the chest. After the medical examination, the patient underwent to ultrasonographic exam for the evaluation of the soft tissue swelling of the left side of the chest. The ultrasonographic evaluation was able to demonstrate the fluid collection in the subcutaneous space, and the point of passage into the pleural cavity, placing the diagnostic suspicion of empyema necessitans. Ultrasonography was also the method used to evaluate the evolution of the pathology.

KEY WORDS: Ultrasonography; Empyema, pleural; Emergency service, hospital; Empyema