A pulmonary consolidation is a region of normally compressible
lung tissue that has filled with liquid instead of air. The condition is marked by induration (swelling or hardening of normally soft tissue) of a normally aerated lung. It is considered a
radiologic sign. Consolidation occurs through accumulation of inflammatory cellular exudate in the
alveoli and adjoining ducts. The liquid can be
pulmonary edema
Pulmonary edema (British English: oedema), also known as pulmonary congestion, is excessive fluid accumulation in the tissue or air spaces (usually alveoli) of the lungs. This leads to impaired gas exchange, most often leading to shortness ...
, inflammatory
exudate
An exudate is a fluid released by an organism through pores or a wound, a process known as exuding or exudation.
''Exudate'' is derived from ''exude'' 'to ooze' from Latin language, Latin 'to (ooze out) sweat' (' 'out' and ' 'to sweat').
Medi ...
,
pus, inhaled water, or blood (from bronchial tree or
hemorrhage
Bleeding, hemorrhage, haemorrhage or blood loss, is blood escaping from the circulatory system from damaged blood vessels. Bleeding can occur internally, or externally either through a natural opening such as the mouth, nose, ear, urethra, ...
from a
pulmonary artery
A pulmonary artery is an artery in the pulmonary circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. The largest pulmonary artery is the ''main pulmonary artery'' or ''pulmonary trunk'' from the heart, and ...
). Consolidation must be present to diagnose
pneumonia
Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...
: the signs of lobar pneumonia are characteristic and clinically referred to as consolidation.
[
]
Signs
Signs that consolidation may have occurred include:
*Expansion of the thorax on inspiration is reduced on the affected side
* Vocal fremitus is increased on the affected side
*Percussion note is impaired in the affected area
*Breath sounds are bronchial
*Possible medium, late, or pan-inspiratory crackles
Crackles are the clicking, rattling, or crackling noises that may be made by one or both lungs of a human or animal with a respiratory disease during inhalation, and occasionally during exhalation. They are usually heard only with a stethosco ...
* Vocal resonance is increased. Here, the patient's voice (or whisper, as in whispered pectoriloquy) can be heard more clearly when there is consolidation, as opposed to the healthy lung where speech sounds muffled.
*A pleural rub may be present.[
*A lower PAO2 than calculated in the alveolar gas equation
]
Diagnosis
Radiology
* Typically, an area of white lung is seen on a standard X-ray.radiography
Radiography is an imaging technology, imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical ("diagnostic" radiog ...
and on CT scans
A computed tomography scan (CT scan), formerly called computed axial tomography scan (CAT scan), is a medical imaging technique used to obtain detailed internal images of the body. The personnel that perform CT scans are called radiographers or ...
. Consolidation is often a middle-to-late stage feature/complication in pulmonary infections.
See also
* Pulmonary infiltrate
References
External links
{{Radiologic signs
Medical terminology
Radiologic signs