Lung Cancer in the Collapsed Lobe Following Successful Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction

In bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR), one-way endobronchial valves induce atelectasis of a target lobe, resulting in lung volume reduction in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Despite improvement in overall quality of life, these patients remain at high risk for lung cancer, including within the collapsed lobe, where nodule detection is particularly challenging. This article presents a case of lung cancer arising in a collapsed lobe after BLVR and highlights imaging features suggestive of a growing malignancy. Although a nodule may be visible at noncontrast CT, contrast-enhanced chest CT can improve nodule conspicuity in this setting. Keywords: Pulmonary, CT, Lung, Tracheobronchial Tree, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Neoplasms-Primary Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2026