Patient history: Pregnant female, in her 29th week, on a boat trip. Delivery on small island along the coast. An emergency helicopter arrived quickly and the newborn child was kept in a transport bag until arrival in the birth ward at Rikshospitalet, 1 1/2 hours after the delivery. The child weighed 1400 grams and had laboured breathing. Respirator treatment was initiated. Despite intensive treatment, the child died from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

This is a low power micrograph showing the lung.

Question 1: How can you be sure that this is a lung?

- You can see the cross section of three bronchi with characteristic cartilage in the wall  (see arrows and the high power micrograph of the bronchus in the center).

Question 2: How do you chracterize the pathologic change in the lung tissue?

- The lung tissue has collapsed containing almost no air, that is the tissue is atelectatic.