title: Mesenchymal cystic hamartoma of the lung: MRI and PET/CT appearance.
abstract: We report the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) findings of a patient who presented with lower thoracic pain, nausea, and vomiting and had a CT scan of the chest in which a well-defined homogeneous mass was identified. Further evaluation with MRI and PET/CT showed a nonenhancing homogeneous paraspinal mass in the left lung base involving the left hemidiaphragm. The mass showed lack of enhancement on MRI and was photopenic on PET/CT. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and resection of the mass was performed and showed a mesenchymal cystic hamartoma invading the left hemidiaphragm. Such a growing hamartoma with pleural and diaphragmatic invasion is very atypical and to our knowledge, has not been previously reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA. ffsouza@partners.org
authors.forename: Frederico F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed