What is atelectasis of the lung?

Collapse: This a term means parts of the lung are under-inflated or collapsed. It is like a balloon with the air let out. It can involve small amounts of the lung or large portions of the lung. The more lung involved the bigger the problem. Causes range from the trivial ( mild atelectasis seen with bed rest) to the serious ( complete atelectasis of a whole lung from a tumor in the airway. ) lots in between.

Collapse of lung : Atelectasis of the lung is collapse of part of the lung or the entire lung. This is commonly see on radiologic studies. When it occurs at the lung bases it is typically due to incomplete inspiration. It may occur due to prior infection, surgery, or tumor or lymph node obstruction. The entire lung may collapse due to pressure from an air leak (pneumothorax).