Hemopneumothorax due to pulmonary metastasis with malignant hemangioendothelioma: CT and pathological findings

Malignant hemangioendothelioma is a rare vascular tumor. The disease frequently recurs and eventually metastasizes to the lung in most cases. Hemopneumothorax developing soon after metastasis to the lung indicates on unfavorable prognosis. We had an opportunity to examine a patient who had malignant hemangioendothelioma in the occipital scalp and developed hemopneumothorax following metastasis to the lung. We report the computed tomographic (CT) and pathological finding in the patient, and review the literature on hemopneumothorax.