[Human pulmonary dirofilariasis].

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Parasitology
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Coin lesions in lung imaging can represent various pathologies, necessitating accurate diagnosis.
• Human pulmonary dirofilariasis is a rare parasitic infection caused by Dirofilaria species, typically affecting canines.

Observation:

• A 60-year-old male presented with an incidentally detected 2.5 cm round, well-defined lung nodule in the right S1.
• Computed tomography (CT) confirmed the nodule's characteristics.
• Positron emission tomography (PET) showed no fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake, suggesting a benign process.

Findings:

• Despite imaging suggesting a benign tumor, the patient opted for surgical resection.
• Thoracoscopic partial lung resection was performed.
• Histopathological examination confirmed the nodule as human pulmonary dirofilariasis.

Implications:

• Human pulmonary dirofilariasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of asymptomatic lung nodules, even with negative FDG-PET scans.
• Surgical intervention can be curative for pulmonary dirofilariasis.
• This case highlights the importance of histopathological confirmation for definitive diagnosis of lung lesions.