Approach to Multiple Pulmonary Nodules: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Chest X-ray and CT examinations often find pulmonary nodules that could be malignant or benign. A case is presented and discussed here in order to improve diagnosis and management of pulmonary nodules. A 62-year-old lady was found to have multiple pulmonary nodules by X-ray when she complained of a...

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Main Authors: Farshid Niknam, Jiezhong Chen, Sabar Napaki, Morteza Aghmesheh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2011.74
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author Farshid Niknam
Jiezhong Chen
Sabar Napaki
Morteza Aghmesheh
author_facet Farshid Niknam
Jiezhong Chen
Sabar Napaki
Morteza Aghmesheh
author_sort Farshid Niknam
collection DOAJ
description Chest X-ray and CT examinations often find pulmonary nodules that could be malignant or benign. A case is presented and discussed here in order to improve diagnosis and management of pulmonary nodules. A 62-year-old lady was found to have multiple pulmonary nodules by X-ray when she complained of a cough and fever. This was confirmed by a CT scan. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of one of the lung lesions reported scant atypical epithelial cells that stained positive for TTF-1 and cytokeratin 7, but negative for cytokeratin 20. Thus, it was suspicious for large cell carcinoma. A videothoracoscopic lung biopsy and histopathology were applied and showed a necrotic nodule with surrounding chronic inflammation and macrophage response, with no evidence of malignant cells. Atypical reactive pneumocytes at the periphery of the lesion (an old infarct) were probably equivalent to the atypical cells seen on cytology. This result changed the diagnosis of our patient from a malignant condition to a benign process. Thus, CT and FNA may give a false positive. A second pathological opinion is very useful for the right diagnosis and management, as shown in our case.
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spelling doaj-art-cff92effca3040b09a6d993ab3477e202025-08-20T03:19:46ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2011-01-011176076510.1100/tsw.2011.74Approach to Multiple Pulmonary Nodules: A Case Report and Review of LiteratureFarshid Niknam0Jiezhong Chen1Sabar Napaki2Morteza Aghmesheh3Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong, NSW, AustraliaIllawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, AustraliaWollongong Hospital, Wollongong, NSW, AustraliaIllawara Cancer Care Centre, Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong, NSW, AustraliaChest X-ray and CT examinations often find pulmonary nodules that could be malignant or benign. A case is presented and discussed here in order to improve diagnosis and management of pulmonary nodules. A 62-year-old lady was found to have multiple pulmonary nodules by X-ray when she complained of a cough and fever. This was confirmed by a CT scan. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of one of the lung lesions reported scant atypical epithelial cells that stained positive for TTF-1 and cytokeratin 7, but negative for cytokeratin 20. Thus, it was suspicious for large cell carcinoma. A videothoracoscopic lung biopsy and histopathology were applied and showed a necrotic nodule with surrounding chronic inflammation and macrophage response, with no evidence of malignant cells. Atypical reactive pneumocytes at the periphery of the lesion (an old infarct) were probably equivalent to the atypical cells seen on cytology. This result changed the diagnosis of our patient from a malignant condition to a benign process. Thus, CT and FNA may give a false positive. A second pathological opinion is very useful for the right diagnosis and management, as shown in our case.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2011.74
spellingShingle Farshid Niknam
Jiezhong Chen
Sabar Napaki
Morteza Aghmesheh
Approach to Multiple Pulmonary Nodules: A Case Report and Review of Literature
The Scientific World Journal
title Approach to Multiple Pulmonary Nodules: A Case Report and Review of Literature
title_full Approach to Multiple Pulmonary Nodules: A Case Report and Review of Literature
title_fullStr Approach to Multiple Pulmonary Nodules: A Case Report and Review of Literature
title_full_unstemmed Approach to Multiple Pulmonary Nodules: A Case Report and Review of Literature
title_short Approach to Multiple Pulmonary Nodules: A Case Report and Review of Literature
title_sort approach to multiple pulmonary nodules a case report and review of literature
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2011.74
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AT jiezhongchen approachtomultiplepulmonarynodulesacasereportandreviewofliterature
AT sabarnapaki approachtomultiplepulmonarynodulesacasereportandreviewofliterature
AT mortezaaghmesheh approachtomultiplepulmonarynodulesacasereportandreviewofliterature