title: Lung cancer mimicking lung abscess formation on CT images.
abstract: METHODS
  Male, 64 FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Lung pleomorphic carcinoma Symptoms: Cough • fever
  
  
  METHODS
  - Clinical Procedure: - Specialty: Oncology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Unusual clinical course.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The diagnosis of lung cancer is often made based on computed tomography (CT) image findings if it cannot be confirmed on pathological examinations, such as bronchoscopy. However, the CT image findings of cancerous lesions are similar to those of abscesses.We herein report a case of lung cancer that resembled a lung abscess on CT.
  
  
  METHODS
  We herein describe the case of 64-year-old male who was diagnosed with lung cancer using surgery. In this case, it was quite difficult to distinguish between the lung cancer and a lung abscess on CT images, and a lung abscess was initially suspected due to symptoms, such as fever and coughing, contrast-enhanced CT image findings showing a ring-enhancing mass in the right upper lobe and the patient's laboratory test results. However, a pathological diagnosis of lung cancer was confirmed according to the results of a rapid frozen section biopsy of the lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case suggests that physicians should not suspect both a lung abscesses and malignancy in cases involving masses presenting as ring-enhancing lesions on contrast-enhanced CT.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Okinawa National Hospital, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Naohiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taira
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Okinawa National Hospital, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawabata
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Okinawa Hokubu Hospital, Nago, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gabe
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Okinawa National Hospital, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Takaharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichi
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Okinawa National Hospital, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kushi
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Okinawa National Hospital, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomofumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yohena
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Okinawa National Hospital, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Okinawa Hokubu Hospital, Nago, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshimitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashiro
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, National Hospital Organization, Okinawa National Hospital, Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
keywords: Lung Neoplasms – etiology; Lung Neoplasms – radiography; Lung Neoplasms – surgery