Pneumatosis is the abnormal presence of air or other gas within tissues. In the lungs, emphysema involves enlargement of the distal airspaces,page 64
in: and is a major feature of

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. The main symptoms include shortness of breath and a cough, which may or may not produce ...

(COPD). Other pneumatoses in the lungs are focal (localized) blebs and bullae, pulmonary cysts and cavities.

Pneumoperitoneum Pneumoperitoneum is pneumatosis (abnormal presence of air or other gas) in the peritoneal cavity, a potential space within the abdominal cavity. The most common cause is a perforated abdominal organ, generally from a perforated peptic ulcer, al ...

(or peritoneal emphysema) is air or gas in the abdominal cavity, and is most commonly caused by

gastrointestinal perforation Gastrointestinal perforation, also known as ruptured bowel, is a hole in the wall of part of the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Symptoms include severe abd ...

, often the result of surgery. Pneumarthrosis, the presence of air in a joint, is rarely a serious sign.

Lung cysts

CT of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia

A lung cyst, or pulmonary cyst, encloses a small volume of air, and has a wall thickness of up to 4 mm. A minimum wall thickness of 1 mm has been suggested, but thin-walled pockets may be included in the definition as well. Pulmonary cysts are not associated with either smoking or emphysema. A

lung cavity A lung cavity or pulmonary cavity is an abnormal, thick-walled, air-filled space within the lung. Cavities in the lung can be caused by infections, cancer, autoimmune conditions, trauma, congenital defects, or pulmonary embolism. The most common ...

has a wall thickness of more than 4 mm.

Other thoracic

Pneumothorax A pneumothorax is an abnormal collection of air in the pleural space between the lung and the chest wall. Symptoms typically include sudden onset of sharp, one-sided chest pain and shortness of breath. In a minority of cases, a one-way valve i ...

, air or gas in the pleural space * Pneumomediastinum, air or gas in the mediastinum ** Also called mediastinal emphysema or pneumatosis/emphysema of the mediastinum

Abdominal

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis - low mag

(or peritoneal emphysema), air or gas in the abdominal cavity. The most common cause is a perforated abdominal viscus, generally a perforated

peptic ulcer Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a break in the inner lining of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus. An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while one in the first part of the intestines ...

, although any part of the

bowel The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and ...

may perforate from a benign ulcer,

tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

or abdominal trauma. *

Pneumatosis intestinalis Pneumatosis intestinalis (also called intestinal pneumatosis, pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis, pneumatosis coli, or intramural bowel gas) is pneumatosis of an intestine, that is, gas cysts in the bowel wall. As a radiological sign it is highly ...

, air or gas cysts in the bowel wall * Gastric pneumatosis (or gastric emphysema) is air or gas cysts in the stomach wall

Joints

Pneumarthrosis is the presence of air in a

joint A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

. Its presentation on

radiography Radiography is an imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical radiography ("diagnostic" and "therapeu ...

is a radiolucent cleft often called a vacuum phenomenon, or vacuum sign. Pneumarthrosis is associated with

osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone which affects 1 in 7 adults in the United States. It is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the w ...

and spondylosis. Pneumarthrosis is a common normal finding in shoulders as well as in

sternoclavicular joint The sternoclavicular joint or sternoclavicular articulation is a synovial saddle joint between the manubrium of the sternum, and the clavicle, as well as the first rib. The joint possesses a joint capsule, and an articular disk, and is reinfo ...

s. It is believed to be a cause of the sounds of

joint cracking Joint cracking is the manipulation of joints to produce a sound and related "popping" sensation. It is sometimes performed by physical therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, and masseurs in Turkish baths pursuing a variety of outcomes. The cr ...

. It is also a common normal post-operative finding at least after spinal surgery. Pneumarthrosis is extremely rare in conjunction with fluid or pus in a joint, and its presence can therefore practically exclude infection.Page 60
in: File:X-ray of hip prosthesis with pneumarthrosis.jpg,

X-ray An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 picometers to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nb ...

of a hip with hip replacement and pneumarthrosis, in this case aseptic. File:X-ray of shoulder with vacuum sign - annotated.jpg, A vacuum sign, or vacuum phenomenon, is a normal finding on

shoulder The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone) as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder mak ...

X-rays.

Other

Subcutaneous emphysema is found in the deepest layer of the skin. Emphysematous cystitis is a condition of gas in the bladder wall. On occasion this may give rise to secondary subcutaneous emphysema which has a poor prognosis. Pneumoparotitis is the presence of air in the

parotid gland The parotid gland is a major salivary gland in many animals. In humans, the two parotid glands are present on either side of the mouth and in front of both ears. They are the largest of the salivary glands. Each parotid is wrapped around the ma ...

caused by raised air pressure in the mouth often as a result of playing wind instruments. In rare cases air may escape from the gland and give rise to subcutaneous emphysema in the face, neck, or mediastinum.

Terminology

The term ''pneumatosis'' has word roots of '' pneumat-'' + ''

-osis OSIS or ''variant'' may refer to: ;OSIS * Open Source Information System * Open Scripture Information Standard * ''Organisasi Siswa Intra Sekolah'', Indonesian for Intra-school students organization ;-osis The suffix '' -osis'' is used for form ...

'', meaning "air problem/injury".

References

External links

{{Wiktionary, pneumatosis Human diseases and disorders