A patient presents with absent lung sounds in the left lower lung fields,moderate shortness of breath,and dyspnea.The nurse suspects pneumothorax and notifies the physician or nurse practitioner.Orders for a STAT chest radiography and reading are obtained.Which of the following findings best supports the nurse's suspicions?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

With a pneumothorax,the pleural edges become evident as one looks through and between the images of the ribs on the film.A thin line appears just parallel to the chest wall,indicating where the lung markings have pulled away from the chest wall.In addition,the collapsed lung will be manifested as an area of increased density separated by an area of radiolucency (blackness).

A Patient Presents with Absent Lung Sounds in the Left