Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research
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The incidence of pneumothorax (PTX) as a complication of computerized tomography guided fine needle aspirates (CT-FNA) of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) varies from 8-61%. It has been suggested that the practice of obtaining a delayed chest radiograph in patients who have undergone CT-FNA of SPN is not cost effective and adds little information concerning lung expansion obtained by CT at the end of the procedure. It, however, is not known what percent of patients with a PTX present immediately after CT-FNA but do not require prompt chest tube placement will progress and require intervention later. ⋯ These data suggest that patients who develop a PTX immediately after CT-FNA but who do not require prompt pleural space evacuation should be followed closely both clinically and radiographically.