J Korean Soc Radiol.  2011 Aug;65(2):109-112. 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

• Jung HS
• Jeong HW
• In HS

• KMID: 1443471
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2011.65.2.109

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.

MeSH Terms

Air Pressure
Barotrauma
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Embolism, Air
Humans
Intracranial Embolism
Lung
Stress, Psychological
Stroke
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Figure

• 

  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

• 

  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.

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