[Inflammatory pseudotumors of the lung with spontaneous regression]

Inflammatory pseudotumors of the lung can be confusing in their presentation because they lack specific symptoms clinically and can easily be mistaken for malignancy on imaging studies. Their definite diagnosis requires pathologic analysis of tissue which is usually obtained only after surgical resection of the lesion. We report herein the case of a 65-year-old man who presented with recent onset of cough, shortness of breath and hemoptysis. CT scan of the chest showed several ill-defined suspicious densities in both lungs. CT guided needle core biopsy of one of the nodules showed changes consistent with inflammatory pseudotumor of the lung without any evidence of malignancy. The pulmonary lesions, which had rapidly progressed initially, resolved completely with simple clinical observation. The total regression of the "tumor nodules" in this case, without any treatment, illustrates a very unusual outcome of these pseudotumors.