Retained wooden foreign body in lung parenchyma: a case report

Despite advances in imaging techniques, the detection of retained wooden foreign bodies remains a difficult and challenging task. The detection of wood is especially important because it may serve as a nidus for superimposed infection. The initial examination may mimic malignancy. We report a rare case of retained wooden foreign body in the lung parenchyma that was found on chest X-ray and computerized tomography as a thick wall cavity. Surgical resection was performed and a wooden particle was revealed. Review of the literature shows that presence of wooden foreign bodies in the lung parenchyma is quite rare and may present with a wide variety of densities. We conclude that foreign body should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unusual lung opacity, and it must be resected on an urgent basis due to the risk of recurrent infection.