Radiographically occult congenital lobar emphysema presenting as unexplained neonatal tachypnea

Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is usually diagnosed in the newborn period in an infant with respiratory difficulties and classic X-ray film findings. We describe a neonate with tachypnea of unclear etiology who was diagnosed with CLE by chest computed tomography scan, despite a plain chest radiograph that did not suggest the diagnosis. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2001; 32:246–249. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.