title: Pulmonary hamartoma: CT findings.
abstract: Forty-seven patients with a proved (n = 31) or presumed (n = 16) diagnosis of pulmonary hamartoma were studied prospectively by thin-section computed tomography (CT). CT criteria for hamartoma included a diameter of 2.5 cm or less, a smooth edge, and focal collections of fat or fat alternating with areas of calcification. No case of cancer (n = 283) or metastatic disease (n = 72) fulfilled these criteria. Seventeen hamartomas with no detectable calcium or fat were not diagnosed by means of CT. Two other lesions contained diffuse calcium deposits. In 28 lesions, a CT diagnosis of hamartoma was based on the detection of fat (n = 18) or calcium plus fat (n = 10). Twelve such cases were proved histologically by means of thoracotomy or needle biopsy; the remainder, including eight in asymptomatic patients aged 65 years or older, were managed with conservative follow-up.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium