Pulmonary dirofilariasis: computed tomography findings and correlation with pathologic features.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe the computed tomography (CT) and pathologic features of 5 nodules of pulmonary dirofilariasis in 4 patients.


METHODS
Four patients with 5 nodules of pathologically confirmed pulmonary dirofilariasis who under went CT were enrolled, and the imaging interpretations were retrospectively compared with the histopathologic characteristics.


RESULTS
Three of the 4 patients had a solitary nodule, and the remaining patient had 2 nodules. All the nodules were distributed in the right lower lobe and were attached to the pleura. They were all round or oval in shape and ranged in size from 11 to 22 mm in largest diameter (mean=17 mm). On thinner section CT, the nodules had a well-defined smooth margin with or without a shallow notch; they were connected to the arterial branch and, occasionally, to the venous branch. On contrast-enhanced CT, all the nodules contained a homogeneous low-attenuation area, which corresponded to areas of coagulative necrosis on histopathologic examination.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the CT findings of a pulmonary dirofilariasis nodule are nonspecific, awareness of the findings on contrast-enhanced CT and the pathologic appearance of this rare benign condition may facilitate its differentiation from a malignant nodule.
Oshiro
Yasuji
Y
Department of Radiology, Okinawa National Hospital, National Hospital Organization, Okinawa, Japan.
Murayama
Sadayuki
S
Sunagawa
Utako
U
Nakamoto
Atsushi
A
Owan
Isoko
I
Kuba
Mutsuo
M
Uehara
Tadashi
T
Miyahira
Takumi
T
Kawabata
Tsutomu
T
Kuniyoshi
Masayuki
M
Ishikawa
Kiyoshi
K
Kinjyo
Takao
T
Fujimoto
Kiminori
K
Yamada
Kazuhiko
K
D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008174:Lung Diseases, Parasitic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010994:Pleura / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media