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[Peripheral intrapulmonary lipoma: report of a case]
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Yokohama City Minato Red Cross Hospital, Yokohama, Japan.
Kyobu Geka. the Japanese Journal of Thoracic Surgery
|December 17, 2009
Summary
A rare peripheral intrapulmonary lipoma was diagnosed in a breast cancer patient presenting with an abnormal chest shadow. This benign tumor highlights the importance of considering rare diagnoses in lung nodule differential diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- A 62-year-old woman with a history of left mastectomy for breast cancer presented with an abnormal chest shadow.
- Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a 1 cm well-defined nodule in the lower lobe of the right lung.
Observation:
- The differential diagnosis for the pulmonary nodule included benign conditions like intrapulmonary lymph nodes and granulomas.
- Metastasis was also considered due to the patient's history of breast cancer.
Findings:
- A wedge resection of the pulmonary nodule was performed for definitive diagnosis.
- Histopathological examination confirmed the nodule to be a lipoma, a benign fatty tumor.
- No evidence of malignancy was found in the resected specimen.
Implications:
- Peripheral intrapulmonary lipomas are exceedingly rare, posing a diagnostic challenge.
- This case underscores the necessity of including rare benign lung tumors in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, especially in patients with a history of malignancy.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial to avoid unnecessary aggressive treatment for benign conditions.