[Unusual findings on chest x-ray]

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Interventional Procedures

Background:

• Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive procedure to treat vertebral compression fractures.
• Complications, though rare, can occur and may present with varied imaging findings.
• Accurate interpretation of imaging requires correlation with clinical presentation and patient history.

Observation:

• A 59-year-old woman presented with fever and dyspnea, showing lung abnormalities on chest X-ray.
• Chest X-ray revealed spherical structures consistent with prior rib fractures.
• Linear hyperdense branching structures indicated diffuse pulmonary cement embolism.

Findings:

• The observed lung abnormalities on chest X-ray were incidental and not the cause of the patient's symptoms.
• Pulmonary cement embolism was identified as the cause of the linear hyperdense structures.
• The patient's history of rib and spinal compression fractures provided crucial context for interpreting the X-ray findings.

Implications:

• This case underscores the importance of considering iatrogenic causes for pulmonary abnormalities.
• Radiologists and clinicians must correlate imaging findings with procedural history to avoid misdiagnosis.
• Awareness of pulmonary cement embolism is crucial for managing patients post-vertebroplasty.