J Korean Med Sci.  2016 Jan;31(1):147-151. 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.1.147.

Calcified Pulmonary Nodules Identified in a 350-Year-Old-Joseon Mummy: the First Report on Ancient Pulmonary Tuberculosis from Archaeologically Obtained Pre-modern Korean Samples

• Kim YS
• Lee IS
• Oh CS
• Kim MJ
• Cha SC
• Shin DH

• KMID: 2360005
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2016.31.1.147

Abstract

We found calcified pulmonary nodules in a middle-aged female mummy discovered from 350-yr-old Joseon tomb of Korea. In the CT scan, we found six radiopaque nodules in right lung, through the levels of thoracic vertebrae 1 to 6. We also found presumptive pleural adhesions in right thoracic cavity of CT images. We re-confirmed radiological findings by our post-factum dissection on the same mummy. By the differential diagnosis, we speculate that the radiopaque calcification nodules and associated pleural adhesion could have been caused by tuberculosis. This is the first-ever report on the pulmonary tuberculosis identified in archaeologically obtained, pre-modern Korean samples.

Keyword

Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Korean Mummy; Joseon Dynasty; Calcified Nodules; Lung

MeSH Terms

Adult
Female
Humans
Mummies/*radiography
Republic of Korea
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/*diagnosis

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Female mummy examined in this study.

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  Fig. 2 Axial CT scans of Mungyeong mummy. Asterisks indicate calcified nodules in the right thoracic cavity. Each figure represent the level of (A) TV1, (B) TV4, (C) TV5, and (D) TV6. RL, Right Lung; Tr, Trachea; LL, Left Lung; Ht, Heart; PA, Pleural Adhesion. (E) Volume rendering image showing calcified pulmonary nodules from #1 to #6 in the right lung of mummy.

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  Fig. 3 Dissection of right thoracic cavity. (A) Pleural adhesion (indicated by asterisk). (B) Thoracic cavity after resection of anterior thoracic wall. (C) Right lung (removed). (D) and (E) Exposure of calcified nodules in right lung. (D) Two large calcified nodules (indicated by asterisk; sized over 1 cm in diameter) around pulmonary hilum. (E) Magnified image of calcified nodule (sectioned) in superior segment of right lower lobe.

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