Computed tomography findings in 66 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma due to environmental exposure to asbestos

Clinical Imaging. Volume 30, Issue 3, Pages 177-180 (May 2006). Received 5 October 2005; accepted 28 December 2005 published online 23 February 2006. [Link]

Fethiye Ökten^a, Deniz Köksal^a, Mine Önal^a, Ayşenaz Özcan^a, Cebrail Şimşek^a, Hakan Ertürk^b

^aDepartment of Chest Diseases, Atatürk Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Education and Research Hospital, 06280 Ankara, Turkey
^bDepartment of Radiology, Atatürk Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery Education and Research Hospital, 06280 Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the computed tomography (CT) findings of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) caused by environmental asbestos exposure. We retrospectively reviewed CT scans of 66 patients, which were performed before any invasive procedure was done. Pleural effusion (80.3%), pleural thickening (77.2%), volume contraction (37.9%), involvement of mediastinal pleura (31.8%) and interlobar fissure (28.8%) were the most common CT findings of MPM. Although none of these findings are pathognomonic for MPM, they may provide valuable clues for the differential diagnosis, at least in patients with a history of asbestos exposure.

Keywords: Computed tomography, Environmental asbestos exposure, Malignant pleural mesothelioma