title: [Video-assisted thoracic surgical (VATS) biopsy as a technique for differential diagnosis of indeterminate small pulmonary nodules].
abstract: The authors experienced two cases of multiple pulmonary tuberculomas, which were suspected of metastatic lung tumors. First patient was a 63-years-old male, who was found to have multiple pulmonary nodular shadows on his check up chest X-ray film, suspected of pulmonary metastases of rectal cancer. VATS biopsy, performed for one of nodules revealed that it was caseating granuloma, suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis. Second patient was a 55-years-old female with rheumatoid arthritis and a chest X-ray film showed multiple pulmonary nodules, which were thought to be metastatic lung tumor from unknown origin. VATS biopsy for a subpleural nodule showed epitheloid granuloma with caseous necrosis of lung, indicating pulmonary tuberculosis. VATS biopsy is, therefore, an useful technique for differential diagnosis of small pulmonary nodules of unknown origin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital of Fuchu, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohtsuka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D014375:Tuberculoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014741:Video Recording