Tuberculous empyema necessitatis. Computed tomography findings

Two patients who presented with an anterior chest wall mass were evaluated by computed tomography (CT) scan and were found to have an associated thick-walled pleural collection, consistent with empyema necessitatis. In view of the increasing incidence of pulmonary and extrapulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, the entity of tuberculous empyema necessitatis should be strongly considered when the described CT findings are present.