title: Apical fibrocavitary lesions of the lung in rheumatoid arthritis. Report of two cases and review of the literature.
abstract: Two patients with rheumatoid arthritis and fibrocavitary lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs are described. Postmortem pathologic studies of the lungs revealed the presence of clinically unsuspected necrobiotic nodules with cavitation and excluded other possible causes such as infections and vasculitis. These findings support the view that apical fibrocavitary disease is a clinically distinct pattern of lung involvement in rheumatoid arthritis.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography