Ewha Med J.  1997 Sep;20(3):293-299. 10.12771/emj.1997.20.3.293.

Findings of Computed Tomographu of Pleural Lesions : Difference between Malignant and Benign Lesions

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Medicine, Ewha Woman's University, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVES
To find out differential points between benign and malignant pleural disease.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the CT scans of 33 patients(20 men and 13 women ; mean age, 56) with pleural diseases including 12 malignant diseases(lung cancer(n=10), metastasis(n=2)) and 21 benign diseases(tuberculous empyema(n=12), bacterial empyema(n=7), hemothorax related exudate(n=2)).
RESULTS
In malignant diseases, irregular(n=3) or nodular(n=3), and mediastinal pleural thickening(n=6) were observed but extrapleural fat accumulation or pleural calcification were not. In benign diseases, irregular pleural thickening was not observed in bacterial empyema but in tuberculous empyema(n=3) and hemothorax related exudate(n=1). Mediastinal pleural thickening and extrapleural fat accumulation were observed in tuberculous(n=5, 5) and bacterial(n=2, 2) empyema and hemothorax related exudate(n=1, 2) and pleura calcification was observed in tuberculous(n=3) and bacterial(n=2) empyema.
CONCLUSION
Findings of irregular or nodular pleural thickening were observed only in malignant disease with exception of tuberculous empyma and hemothorax related exudate. Extrapleural fat accumulation and pleural calcification were observed only in benign disease.

Keyword

Pleura CT; Pleura infection; Pleura neoplasm

MeSH Terms

Empyema
Exudates and Transudates
Female
Hemothorax
Humans
Male
Pleura
Pleural Diseases
Retrospective Studies
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
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