Dr. Pepe’s Diploma Casebook 157 – SOLVED

~ Dr. Pepe

Dear Friends,

The leading case of this week’s Diploma has been provided by my good friend Jordi Andreu. Radiographs belong to an asymptomatic 48-year-old woman.

Diagnosis:

1. Neurogenic tumor
2. Pulmonary hamartoma
3. Pleural fibrous tumor
4. None of the above

What do you think? Come back on Friday to see the answer!

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Findings: PA chest radiograph shows a rounded opacity in the left apex (A, arrow). All diagnosis are possible, as the pulmonary apex is a narrow space and it is very difficult to determine the origin of a mass. The clue lies in the nodular opacities in the neck (A, circle) which raise the possibility of superimposed hair braid.
Unenhanced coronal CT (B) does not show any mass, confirming that the finding is artifactual.

Final diagnosis: superimposed hair braid simulating pulmonary disease

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss elements in or about the soft tissues of the chest wall that may simulate lung disease. Those related to the thoracic skeleton were shown in Diploma case # 57.
This Diploma complements the non-significant findings described in webinar eight.

I have classified them into three groups, the first one related to the soft tissues of the chest wall while the other two are external to the body:

1. Nipples and skin lesions
2. Hair and/or hair implements
3. Garments

Nipple Shadows

Nipple shadows are seen in 3% to 10% of PA chest radiographs. In about 10% of these patients, the identification may raise doubts. Comparison with previous films will confirm the stability of the nodules (Fig. 1). In case of doubt, nipple markers should be placed. Routine use of nipple markers has been proposed in oncologic patients.

Fig. 1. 58-year-old man with typical bilateral nipple shadows (A, arrows), unchanged in comparison with a previous film (B, arrows). Nipples are well seen on axial CT in the same patient (C, arrows). Nowadays, patients may come with their own nipple markers! (D).

Unilateral enlarged nipple shadows are suspicious findings. Visual inspection should be done to confirm that the nipple is indeed enlarged (Fig. 2). Occasionally, a true lung nodule may simulate a nipple shadow, even with nipple markers. In such cases, CT will correct our error (Figs. 3-4)

Fig 2. 61-year-old woman with left pleuritic chest pain. PA chest film shows a small amount of left pleural fluid (A, white arrow) and a nodule at the right costophrenic angle (A, red arrow). Visual inspection showed a large right nipple as the cause of the false nodule. Two weeks later, the pleural effusion has disappeared, and the nipple shadow is no longer seen (B).

Fig. 3. 54-year-old man with a renal tumor. PA film shows a nodule in the LLL (A, arrow) that simulates a nipple, even with a nipple marker (B, arrow). Axial CT shows a metastatic nodule in the LLL and a larger one in the RLL, not seen in the PA chest radiograph (insert, arrows).

Skin lesions

Skin lesions may also cause false lung nodules. Visual inspection of the chest will demonstrate them and confirm the diagnosis (Fig. 5). If there is any doubt, a marker can be used.

Fig. 5. Chest wart simulating a lung nodule in the PA film (A, arrow). Lateral film shows the wart in the skin of the anterior chest wall (B, arrow). The wart is higher in this view because the upheld arms elevate it.

Occasionally, a discrepancy in density between both breasts, usually related to previous surgery, may simulate pulmonary pathology (Fig 6).


Fig 6. 65-year-old woman with syncope. PA radiograph shows a rounded opacity in the right lung (A, arrow), suspected to be a pulmonary infiltrate. Axial CT (B) show normal lungs. The opacity is due to a superimposed right breast prosthesis (B-C, arrows).

Hair

In my experience, hair is a common cause of opacities in the lung apices (Fig 7).
Strands of loose hair may project over the upper lung, simulating linear fibrotic infiltrates (Fig 8). Rubber bands at the end of braids may be confused with pulmonary nodules (Fig. 9). A long braid may fool us and consider it intrapulmonary disease (Fig 10).

In most cases, the clue to the diagnosis lies in recognizing that the abnormality extends to the neck.

Fig. 7. Braid simulating an apical pulmonary nodule (A-B, arrows). The rubber band (A-B, red arrows) suggests the correct diagnosis

Fig. 8. Loose hair simulating a linear infiltrate or fibrosis in the right apex (A, white arrow). Note the same appearance in the lower neck (A, red arrow). The apex looks normal after the hair is lifted (B). The opaque rounded opacity that looks like a hair clasp (A-B yellow arrow) is a cervical disk prosthesis.

Fig 9. Two patients with rubber bands at the end of a braid simulating pulmonary nodules (A-B, arrows). In both, the braids are visible in the neck (A-B, red arrows). Despite that, patient B was referred for a CT examination to evaluate a left lung nodule.

Fig. 10. 25-year-old man with braided hair simulating a RUL infiltrate (A, arrow). The opacity extends to the neck, giving away the diagnosis (A, red arrow). After raising the braid, the chest looks normal (B). Remember that men also wear their hair long nowadays.

Clothing artifacts

Clothing artifacts occur when the technician does not ask patients to remove garments that have logos or images on them. This usually happens with women, out of respect for modesty (Figs. 11 and 12).

Fig. 11. 27-year-old woman with multiple miliary nodules in both lungs (A, circles). The opacities result from a jeweled panther on the shirt she was wearing (B).

Fig 12. 45-year-old woman with previous breast carcinoma. PA radiograph shows small nodules in lower lungs (A, circles). Lateral view proves that the nodules are in a blouse (B, arrow)

Other types of body artifacts may cause dubious opacities in the chest radiograph (Figs 13 and 14)

Fig 13. 29-year-old man with a barely visible non-displaced fracture of the left clavicle (A, arrow), well demonstrated in the 3-D CT reconstruction (B). Components of the support brace for the fracture simulate enlarged upper lobe vessels (A, red arrows).

To end the presentation, in the last two months we have been acquainted with a new artifact: the wire in the face masks (Fig 14)

Fig 14. Routine chest radiograph during the Covid-19 scare. Notice the wire in the face mask (A-B, arrows)


Follow Dr. Pepe’s advice:

1. Unilateral nipple shadows may generate diagnostic problems.
2. If a hair artifact is suspected, look at the soft tissues of the neck.
3. Garments may create weird lung shadows.

Published by Dr. Pepe

5 thoughts on “Dr. Pepe’s Diploma Casebook 157 – SOLVED”

  1. Appears to be a mainly posteriorly located lesion. No discernible pedicle erosion. First rib seems to be affected. There are also some scattered opacities in the soft tissues above the 1st rib. My guess would be 4 – maybe a bony tumor.

    Reply

  2. “Cervicothoracic sign”
    It seems with posterior mediastinum origin
    Neurogenic tumors

    Reply

  3. Good morning!

    There is a increased density of the left first rib and of the apical region with extrathoracic cervical extension. The patient is a woman so the first thing I would do is check for external elements…(ponytail…)

    Reply

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