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Adult community-acquired pneumonia with unusually enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes: A case report

Lanhua Zhang1, Shixiong Qiu1, Cui Tang1

  • 1Department of Radiology, Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200090, P.R. China.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine
|July 5, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Adult community-acquired pneumonia (ACAP) can cause enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes, mimicking masses. This case report highlights that these enlarged lymph nodes in ACAP often resolve with antimicrobial treatment, indicating a strong immune response.

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Adult community-acquired pneumonia (ACAP) is a common pulmonary infection.
  • Mediastinal lymphadenopathy is a frequent finding in ACAP on chest CT.
  • Unusually large, irregular lymph nodes mimicking masses are rarely reported in ACAP.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a case of ACAP presenting with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes.
  • To illustrate the potential confusion between lymph node enlargement in ACAP and lymph node masses.
  • To highlight the resolution of lymphadenopathy following treatment for pneumonia.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 24-year-old healthy individual.
  • Clinical presentation of pneumonia with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes.
  • Imaging findings on chest computed tomography (CT).
  • Response to antimicrobial therapy.

Main Results:

  • The patient presented with enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes resembling masses.
  • These lymph node abnormalities resolved to normal size after antimicrobial treatment for pneumonia.
  • The findings suggest a pronounced immune response to pneumonia in the lymph nodes.

Conclusions:

  • ACAP can present with significant mediastinal lymphadenopathy that may be mistaken for masses.
  • Enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes in ACAP can be a manifestation of a strong immune response.
  • Prompt diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia are crucial for resolving associated lymphadenopathy.
Keywords:
X-ray computed tomographycommunity-acquired pneumonialymph nodetomography

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