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Updated: Jun 8, 2025

Simplified Whole Body Plethysmography to Characterize Lung Function During Respiratory Melioidosis
Published on: February 24, 2023
Pulmonary melioidosis mimicking lung cancer: a diagnostic challenge
Xiaohong Yang1, Zhuopeng Ying1, Yuefu Zhan2,3
1Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, 31 Longhua Road, Haikou, China.
Background:
The overlapping clinical and radiographic features of pulmonary melioidosis and lung cancer present diagnostic challenges to healthcare providers in endemic settings.
Methods:
We compared the clinical, laboratory and imaging characteristics of 19 pulmonary melioidosis cases with those of 15 cases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 17 cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Results:
Compared with SCLC/NSCLC cases, those with pulmonary melioidosis were more likely to have diabetes, have fever, neutrophilia and leukocytosis on presentation (p<0.05). While certain CT imaging features were shared between pulmonary melioidosis and SCLC ('frozen mediastinum sign', 'vascular encasement sign'), extensive liquefactive necrosis, uneven ring-enhancement, circular lesions and 'air-bubble' signs were more commonly seen in pulmonary melioidosis cases than in those with SCLC/NSCLC (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
Despite the similarities in presentation of pulmonary melioidosis, SCLC and NSCLC, several clinical, laboratory and imaging factors may help delineate these diagnoses and improve patient care.
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