From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pulmonary consolidation |
| Classification and external resources |
Pneumonia as seen on chest x-ray. A: Normal chest x-ray. B: Abnormal chest x-ray with consolidation from pneumonia in the right lung, middle or inferior lobe (white area, left side of image). |
| DiseasesDB |
10949 |
Consolidation is a clinical term for solidification into a firm, dense mass. It is more specifically used in reference to a region of lung tissue that, normally compressible, has filled with liquid,[1] a condition marked by induration[2] (swelling or hardening of normally soft tissue) of a normally aerated lung. Consolidation occurs through accumulation of inflammatory cellular exudate in the alveoli and adjoining ducts. Simply, it is defined as alveolar space that contains liquid instead of gas. The fluid can be pulmonary edema, inflammatory exudate, pus, inhaled water, or blood (from bronchial tree or haemorrhage from a pulmonary artery). It is clinically important in pneumonia: the signs of lobar pneumonia are characteristic and clinically referred to as consolidation.[3]
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 side with consolidation
- Percussion is dull in affected area
- Breath sounds are- bronchial
- Possible medium, late, or pan-inspiratory crackles
- Vocal resonance is increased. Vocal resonance testing can be done with a stethoscope. Here, the patient's voice (or whisper, as in whispered pectoriloquy) can be heard more clearly when there is consolidation, as opposed to in the healthy lung where speech sounds muffled.
- A pleural rub may be present[4]
- Consolidated tissue is radio-opaque, so that it is clearly demonstrable in X-rays and CT (computerized tomography) scans. Consolidation is often a middle-to-late stage feature/complication in pulmonary infections.
[edit] References
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Pathology of respiratory system (J, 460-519), respiratory diseases |
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Upper RT
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Common cold) |
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Lower RT/lung disease
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Pneumoconiosis ( Asbestosis, Baritosis, Bauxite fibrosis, Berylliosis, Caplan's syndrome, Chalicosis, Coalworker's pneumoconiosis, Siderosis, Silicosis, Byssinosis)
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis ( Bagassosis, Bird fancier's lung, Farmer's lung)
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Pleural cavity/
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| respiratory system navs: anat nose,larynx/lower+thoracic cavity/physio/dev, noncongen/congen/tumors, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc |
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