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Pulmonary infarction mimicking a lung mass: a case report
Balakrishnan Jayakrishnan1, Saif Musabah Al-Mubaihsi1, Nisrien Elfatih Elhassan1
1Department of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
The Pan African Medical Journal
|April 29, 2021
Summary
Pulmonary infarction can rarely mimic lung cancer, presenting as a rounded opacity. Definitive diagnosis may require invasive lung biopsies, posing a clinical challenge.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Radiology
- Oncology
Background:
- Pulmonary infarction typically presents as a wedge-shaped opacity.
- Rarely, pulmonary infarction can manifest as a well-defined, rounded opacity, mimicking lung cancer.
- This presentation poses diagnostic challenges, often necessitating invasive procedures.
Observation:
- A patient with submassive pulmonary embolism incidentally found to have a rounded opacity on CT scan.
- The lesion showed high avidity on positron emission tomography (PET) scan.
- The patient was a smoker, increasing suspicion for malignancy.
Findings:
- Percutaneous and thoracoscopic lung biopsies were performed for definitive diagnosis.
- The case highlights the diagnostic challenge of tumor-like pulmonary infarction.
- Differential diagnosis in pulmonary nodules requires careful consideration.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering uncommon presentations of pulmonary infarction.
- Advanced imaging like PET-CT can aid in characterization but may not be definitive.
- Multidisciplinary evaluation is crucial for managing challenging pulmonary lesions.
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