[Phantom tumor in left heart failure]

In some cases of congestive heart failure interlobar encysted pleural effusion may appear on X-ray film like a mass or tumor, and is therefore called phantom tumor or pseudo-tumor. This is a report on a 56-year old man who came to hospital admission with an assumed fungal pneumonia. The X-ray film showed a mass-like configuration in the right lung. In sputum analysis no pathogenic germs or fungi were found, no clinical or laboratory signs of infection were present. Unter intensive treatment of the underlying left heart failure the X-ray film changes vanished without administration of antimycotics.