Hampton's hump on chest imaging is best described as which of the following?

Hampton's hump on chest imaging is best described as which of the following?

• A. Pleural-based density with a rounded border facing the hilum, indicating pulmonary infarction.
• B. Lateral chest radiograph artifact with no clinical significance.
• C. A diffuse bilateral interstitial opacity.
• D. A mediastinal widening with left atrial enlargement.

Answer: (A)

Hampton's hump is a subpleural, wedge-shaped opacity that points toward the hilum, representing a pulmonary infarct from a pulmonary embolism. The density lies at the lung periphery with the inner border toward the hilum and the base against the pleura. This pattern directly reflects infarction due to occlusion of a distal pulmonary artery, making a pleural-based density with a border toward the hilum the best description. It is not an artifact, not a diffuse interstitial process, and not mediastinal widening or cardiomegaly, which helps distinguish it from other findings.

Hampton's hump is a subpleural, wedge-shaped opacity that points toward the hilum, representing a pulmonary infarct from a pulmonary embolism. The density lies at the lung periphery with the inner border toward the hilum and the base against the pleura. This pattern directly reflects infarction due to occlusion of a distal pulmonary artery, making a pleural-based density with a border toward the hilum the best description. It is not an artifact, not a diffuse interstitial process, and not mediastinal widening or cardiomegaly, which helps distinguish it from other findings.