Peripheral Bronchopleural Fistula-CT

On chest radiographs, a bronchopleural fistula usually appears as an intrapleural air-pleural fluid collection-a hydropneumothorax. The fistula itself is almost never visualized directly but is implied in the proper clinical scenario. CT scans show focal areas of low-attenuation lung consolidation that appear to communicate directly with an empyema and an obvious disruption of the visceral pleura with associated air as in this case of a 7month old child.