Pleuropulmonary and abdominal paragonimiasis: CT and ultrasound findings

The purpose of this study was to review radiological images of patients with Paragonimus westermani (PW) that simultaneously involved the chest and abdomen.

Our study included four patients with serologically and histopathologically confirmed paragonimiasis. Abdomen CT (n=3) and chest CT (n=3) scans were available, and abdominal wall ultrasonography was performed in all patients. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical, radiological and histopathological findings of these patients.

The most common abdominal CT findings were ascites and intraperitoneal or abdominal wall nodules. Low-attenuated serpentine lesions of the liver were another common and relatively specific feature.

Radiologists should consider the possibility of PW when these abdominal CT findings are noted, especially with pleural effusion or subpleural nodules in patients with initial abdominal symptoms.