Computed tomographic findings of environmental asbestos-related malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is not an infrequent fatal neoplasm. It is endemically present in some regions of Turkey due to its aetiological relationship to exposure to environmental fibrous minerals. The aim of this study was to determine the thorax computed tomographic (CT) features of environmental asbestos-related MPM. In this study, we examined retrospectively the CT scans of 46 untreated patients with pathological diagnosis of environmental asbestos-related MPM among 151 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in the Izmir Chest Disease and Surgery Hospital. The CT scans were interpreted by consultation of four observers. Malignant pleural mesothelioma was unilateral in 45 (97.2%) of the patients. Pleural effusions were found in 42 (91%) of the patients, pleural calcifications in 12 (26%), contracted hemithorax in 14 (30%), interlobar fissure involvement in 25 (54%) and mediastinal pleural involvement in 26 (57%). A contracted hemithorax was significantly correlated with pleural rind configuration. Pleural thickenings were found in 45 (99%) of the patients. Pleural thickenings were in the form of nodularity in 10 (22%) cases, regular in 12 (27%) cases, as a focal mass in 3 (7%) cases and as a pleural rind in 20 (44%) cases. Pleural thickening was greater than 1 cm in 32 (71%) cases. The most common CT findings in our series were unilateral circumferential pleural thickening, nodular pleural thickening, pleural thickening greater than 1 cm and mediastinal pleural involvement. Generally, pleural effusion was accompanied by this. There was interlobar fissure involvement in half of the patients. There was no pathognomonic CT finding in environmental asbestos-related MPM. But CT was useful in suggesting the diagnosis of malignant pleural disease in the cases with MPM.

Computed tomography findings of tuberculous pleurisy.

SETTING: Review of the records of 491 patients with tuberculous pleurisy hospitalized between 1993 and 1995 in Izmir, Turkey. Those cases with typical histopathology or demonstrated acid-fast bacilli on pleural needle biopsies and/or positive pleural fluid/tissue cultures and available computed tomography (CT) scans are included. OBJECTIVE: To determine the CT features of tuberculosis of the pleural space. DESIGN: The CT scans of 66 patients with proven tuberculous pleurisy were interpreted retrospectively by three observers. RESULTS: Of 66 patients, 65 (98.5%) had pleural effusions; 38 (57.5%) had pleural lesions; six (9%) had involvement of interlobar fissure; and one patient (1.5%) had involvement only of the mediastinal pleura. All but one of the pleural lesions involved regular thickening of greater than 1 cm. Fibrotic parenchymal changes were seen in 11 of 66 patients (17%), cavitary changes were seen in eight (12%), and heterogeneous nodular shadows were seen in four (6%). Two cases (3%) had parenchymal consolidation and one (1.5%) had a calcified subpleural nodule. In 39% (26/66) of cases, hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy was identified. CONCLUSION: Tuberculous pleurisy in our series was characterized on CT by the presence of pleural effusion, often with smooth pleural thickening; rarely was there involvement of the mediastinal pleura. Underlying lung parenchymal abnormalities were seen in 39% of cases. Although these findings are non-specific, they may help to distinguish tuberculous pleurisy from other causes of pleural effusion, such as malignancy.

CT bronchus sign-guided bronchoscopic multiple diagnostic procedures in carcinomatous solitary pulmonary nodules and masses.

CT bronchus sign (BS) designates a bronchus leading directly to a peripheral pulmonary lesion. The objective of this investigation is to determine the contribution of BS-guided bronchoscopic multiple diagnostic procedures (BMDPs) to the diagnostic yield of solitary nodules or masses (SPNMs) suspected of pulmonary carcinoma (PC). A prospective study was carried out in 92 patients with a 2-5 cm diameter SPNM at the level of third to fifth bronchial branching and without endobronchial tumors. Within 10 days after 2-mm CT scans were done, in each of 92, bronchial washing (BW), brushing (BR), transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBB) were performed respectively, via fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB) under fluoroscopic guidance. In 40 (82%) of 49 with BS and in 19 (44%) of 43 without BS, FB established the diagnosis (p < 0.01). In 84 cases of PC, BW, BR, TBNA and TBB provided the diagnostic yields of 4% (3), 26% (22), 57% (48) and 49% (41), respectively; the combined yield reached 68% (57). A metastasis and a tuberculoma were diagnosed exclusively by TBB, and TBNA, respectively. All differences of diagnostic yield except that between TBNA and TBB (p > 0.05) were determined to be significant (p < 0.05). Thoracotomy verified diagnosis in 48 of 59 cases diagnosed and 19 of 33 undiagnosed by FB, and various tissue biopsies or clinical follow-up in 11 diagnosed and 14 undiagnosed by FB. The above data suggest that in the diagnosis of PC as a SPNM at the level of third-fifth bronchial branching, combining the guidance of CT BS, and BMDPs under fluoroscopic guidance can increase the yield considerably.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome: CT and US demonstration of small bowel polyps.

A family affected with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is reported with an emphasis on radiological findings. A patient showed extensive pigmentation around the lips, buccal mucosa, and nose. Another showed prolonged transient intussusception of a jejunal loop on barium meal examination, and massive rectal bleeding. In this patient, small bowel polyps could also be seen on ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT). On CT several polyps, up to 3 cm in size, were detected along with a "carpeting" pattern of several loops presumably caused by multiple small polyps.