A patient with trauma having cavitary pulmonary nodules: should further workup be pursued?

Traumatic pulmonary pseudocysts (TPPs) are rare sequelae of blunt chest trauma and may be incidentally visualized on initial, or subsequent, chest imaging.

We present the case of a 37-year-old male with no past medical history, who was recently hospitalized in the intensive care unit after a motor vehicle accident and referred to our institution for a traumatic cataract repair. His preoperative chest radiograph revealed multiple left-sided pulmonary nodules that were confirmed on thoracic computed tomography (CT) and noted to be cavitary. Comparison of the films to prior imaging, negative infectious workup, and absence of any symptoms led to the diagnosis of TPPs. Follow-up imaging showed complete resolution of the lesions.

The TPPs may be discovered on imaging shortly after blunt chest trauma and, in asymptomatic individuals, can often be monitored with observation and serial imaging.