Recognising a Pneumothorax

Key points

• • Look for a visible lung edge with no lung markings beyond it.
• • A tension pneumothorax pushes the trachea and mediastinum away - it is a clinical diagnosis, treat before imaging.
• • A deep sulcus sign can reveal a pneumothorax on a supine film.
• • Correlate with sudden breathlessness and reduced breath sounds on that side.