title: Chest CT findings of pleural tuberculosis: differential diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis and malignant pleural dissemination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The imaging features of pleural tuberculosis (PTB) can be similar to those of malignant pleural dissemination (MPD) with several case reports of CT findings in atypical presentations of PTB.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the computed tomography (CT) features of PTB by comparing these imaging findings with those of MPD and to use the results to differentiate between the two diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 135 patients with PTB and 69 with MPD. The CT images were assessed in terms of the presence, extent, and contour of pleural thickening. Pleural nodules were analyzed in terms of number, size, and location. The CT findings of PTB and MPD were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CT findings of PTB included circumferential pleural thickening (32.6%), mediastinal pleural involvement (31.9%), nodular thickening (8.9%), and pleural thickening >1 cm (2.2%). The CT features of MPD included nodular pleural thickening (56.5%), mediastinal pleural involvement (40.6%), circumferential thickening (23.2%), and pleural thickening >1 cm (7.2%). Comparing PTB and MPD, nodular pleural thickening was observed more frequently with MPD than PTB (P <0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nodular pleural thickening is observed in 8.9% of the patients with PTB on chest CT. Comparing PTB and MPD, nodular pleural thickening was the only finding significantly associated with MPD, particularly with nodules >10 mm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Sil
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea sinisim@ewha.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sung Shine
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yookyung
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yon Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003287:Contrast Media; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: Tuberculous pleuritis; pleural metastasis; pleural thickening