Pneumothorax
Read Your Scan Editorial Team·Last updated
Written from published radiology references and reviewed for plain language. Not written or signed by a physician, and not a diagnosis. How we write these pages →
In plain language
Air in the space around the lung. When noted, it is described by size. Your doctor decides whether it needs any action.
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Where you'll see this
This wording turns up on Chest X-ray reports — X-ray imaging of the chest. A chest X-ray provides a broad picture of the lungs, the heart’s size and outline, the major airways, the bones of the chest, and the diaphragm. Doctors order it for cough, fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, before surgery, or as a routine check. It is a good first look, and if something needs closer inspection, a CT or other test may follow. The report describes what the picture shows; your doctor decides what it means.
Questions worth asking your doctor
- What was the reason for this X-ray, and did it answer that question?
- Does anything on the report need a closer look with another test?
- Do the findings fit my symptoms, or were they unexpected?
- Do the results change my current treatment in any way?
- Should I have a follow-up X-ray, and if so, when?
How common is this?
A pneumothorax, meaning air trapped between the lung and the chest wall causing the lung to partially or fully collapse, is a relatively common emergency finding, most often seen in tall, thin young men (spontaneous pneumothorax) or after chest trauma, surgery, or lung disease. Small pneumothoraces are also occasionally discovered incidentally on chest CT.
When should I worry?
Any pneumothorax should be evaluated by a doctor. A small, stable pneumothorax in someone with mild or no symptoms may be monitored with serial imaging. A large or tension pneumothorax with severe shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, or dropping blood pressure is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment.
What happens next
A small, stable pneumothorax in a person who isn't very symptomatic is often managed with observation and follow-up imaging to confirm it's resolving. A larger pneumothorax is typically treated with a needle or chest tube to remove the trapped air and allow the lung to re-expand. Recurrent cases may be evaluated for a procedure to prevent future episodes.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a collapsed lung heal on its own?
- Yes, a small pneumothorax often reabsorbs on its own over days to weeks without any procedure, as long as the patient is stable and can be monitored with follow-up X-rays. Your doctor will decide if observation alone is safe in your case.
- Will it happen again?
- There is a meaningful recurrence risk, especially for spontaneous pneumothorax, with roughly 1 in 3 having another episode within a few years. Recurrent pneumothoraces are often treated with a procedure to seal the area and reduce this risk.
- What causes a spontaneous pneumothorax?
- Most spontaneous cases occur when a small air-filled blister (bleb) on the lung surface ruptures, often in tall, thin individuals. Smoking significantly increases the risk. In older adults, it more commonly occurs as a complication of underlying lung disease like COPD or emphysema.
Other words on the same report
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Read Your Scan is informational only — not a medical diagnosis, and not a substitute for a licensed radiologist or your doctor. If you have urgent symptoms, seek care.