"Bubble-like" lung metastases in osteosarcoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
Cavitation of pulmonary metastases have been reported by several authors either as a spontaneous phenomenon or as a consequence of chemotherapy. We present two cases, with this type of image in follow-up, and 20-45 months after the end of treatment. This was the first sign of pulmonary metastases.


RESULTS
Two patients with osteogenic sarcoma developed radiological evidence of pulmonary "bubble-like" cavitation several years following completion of chemotherapy. In one patient the "bubble-like" cavitation transformed into a solid nodule. Both patients had surgical resections of all pulmonary lesions, and histology confirmed presence of viable osteosarcoma metastases.


CONCLUSIONS
The two cases suggest that onset of "bubble-like" cavitation in lung parenchyma of osteosarcoma patients may be the first sign of pulmonary metastases.
Briccoli
Antonio
A
General Surgery, The Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna 40136, Italy.
Rocca
Michele
M
Salone
Maria Cristina
MC
Di Fiore
Maria
M
Vanel
Daniel
D
Balladelli
Alba
A
Alberghini
Marco
M
D000293:Adolescent; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*