Localized right upper lobe edema

Abstract

One of the lesser known atypical forms of radiographic presentation of pulmonary edema is the isolated or predominant affection of the upper right lobe in patients with mitral valve insufficiency. As a possible cause of this distribution, it has been established that the regurgitation jet during the ventricular systole may be directed selectively toward the orifice of the right upper lobe vein, locally accentuating the forces responsible for edema formation. There are few cases with these characteristics in the literature reviewed. We present an additional three cases, concluding that localized pulmonary edema secondary to mitral insufficiency should be suspected in the presence of any type of airspace consolidation in the right upper lobe, with or without associated affection of the middle lobe, in patients with a history of mitral valve insufficiency, especially when there are radiologic signs of left heart failure.