CT imaging of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: A case report

The peritoneal cavity is the second most common location for mesothelioma with only 10.5% of 10,589 mesothelioma cases reported in the United States between 1973 until 2005 and known with poor prognosis. Diagnosing malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a challenge for many clinicians because the symptoms are often non-specific. Therefore, the emergence of computer tomography (CT) features knowledge and another finding is an essential aspect in establishing the diagnosis. We present a case 43-years-old man with no history of malignancy presented with abdominal distention, weight loss, and decreased appetite for 2 months. To pursue the proper diagnosis an abdominal CT was performed and revealed diffuse, irregular thickening of the parietal peritoneum with multiple nodules, and the chest CT revealed a left-sided pleural effusion with multiple nodules in both lungs. Concomitant with the imaging result, histopathological examination and immunohistochemical analysis of a core biopsy of the peritoneal nodule showed a malignant round cell tumor indicating the source of the mesothelioma.