Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Are There Imaging Characteristics Associated With Different Histologic Subtypes on Computed Tomography?

Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography 2018 April 2 [Epub ahead of print] [Link]

Escalon JG, Harrington KA, Plodkowski AJ, Zheng J, Capanu M, Zauderer MG, Rusch VW, Ginsberg MS

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
Determine imaging characteristics specific to epithelioid (eMPM), sarcomatoid (sMPM), and biphasic (bMPM) subtypes of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) on computed tomography.

METHODS:
Preoperative computed tomography scans of patients with MPM were retrospectively assessed for numerous features including primary affected side, volume loss, pleural thickness, pleural calcifications, pleural effusion, and lymphadenopathy.

RESULTS:
One hundred twenty-five patients with MPM were included. Histologic subdivision was 97 eMPM (77%), 17 bMPM (14%), and 11 sMPM (9%). Nonepithelioid MPM (bMPM and sMPM) was more likely than eMPM to have calcified pleural plaques (P = 0.035). Analyzed separately, bMPM and sMPM each demonstrated calcified plaques more frequently than eMPM, and sMPM more often had internal mammary nodes; however, P values did not reach significance (P = 0.075 and 0.071, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:
Calcified plaques are significantly more common in nonepithelioid subtypes compared with eMPM. Given the different prognoses and management of MPM subtypes, accurate noninvasive subtype classification is clinically vital.