October 2024 Critical Care Case of the Month: Respiratory Failure in a Patient with Ulcerative Colitis
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 8:00AM
Rick Robbins, M.D. in CT scan, chest x-ray, colitis, corticosteroids, inflammatory bowel disease, lung consollidation, organizing pneumonia, pneumonia, treatment, ulcerative colitis

Lewis J. Wesselius MD

Pulmonary Department

Mayo Clinic Arizona

Scottsdale, AZ USA

History of Present Illness

The patient is a 57-year-old woman with a history of ulcerative colitis (UC) complicated by toxic megacolon with subsequent colectomy. She presented to the emergency department with cough, shortness of breath and hypoxemia (87% on RA).

PMH, SH

Physical Exam

Current Medications

Laboratory

A chest radiograph was performed (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Portable chest X-ray performed in the emergency department. (To view Figure 1 in a separate, enlarged window click here).

Which of the following is/are true regarding the chest X-ray?

  1. There is a left lower lobe consolidation.
  2. The portable chest X-ray may be normal.
  3. A chest CT scan is required to definitely view any consolidation.
  4. There is a right upper lobe consolidation.
  5. All of the above.
Cite as: Wesselius LJ. October 2024 Critical Care Case of the Month: Respiratory Failure in a Patient with Ulcerative Colitis. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care Sleep. 2024;29(4):30-33. doi: https://doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc2046-24 PDF
Article originally appeared on Southwest Journal of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep (https://www.swjpcc.com/).
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