Abstract:

Swyer-James-MacLeod Syndrome (SJMS) is a rare disease characterized by a hyperlucent lung appearance due to hypoplasia of the pulmonary artery on the affected side. It is thought to develop secondary to viral bronchiolitis and pneumonia in childhood. A 59-year-old female patient presented with the complaints of dyspnea with exertion, a feeling of pressure in the chest, and sputum. On physical examination, respiratory sounds were normal. Posteroanterior (PA) chest X-ray showed marked hyperlucency and volume loss in the left hemithorax. On thorax computed tomography, ipsilateral hyperlucency with a significant decrease in the calibration of the left pulmonary artery and its branches compared to the right, significant volume loss in the lower lobe of the left lung and areas of bronchiectasis were observed. While large segmental perfusion defects were observed in almost the entire lower lobe of the left lung and in the lingular segment in perfusion scintigraphy, ventilation defects were observed in these areas in ventilation scintigraphy. The patient was diagnosed with SJMS based on the present findings. Treatment of the disease is conservative in most cases. It is recommended to protect patients against infections and to have flu and pneumococcal vaccines. We present our case to emphasize that this syndrome should be among the differential diagnoses when unilateral hyperlucent lung appearance is detected.

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