title: Thoracic lymphadenopathy in benign diseases: A state of the art review.
abstract: Lymphadenopathy is a common radiological finding in many thoracic diseases and may be caused by a variety of infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic conditions. This review aims to describe the patterns of mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy found in benign diseases in immunocompetent patients. Computed tomography is the method of choice for the evaluation of lymphadenopathy, as it is able to demonstrate increased size of individual nodes, abnormalities of the interface between the mediastinum and lung, invasion of surrounding fat, coalescence of adjacent nodes, obliteration of the mediastinal fat, and hypo- and hyperdensity in lymph nodes. Intravenous contrast enhancement may be needed to help distinguish nodes from vessels. The most frequent infections resulting in this finding are tuberculosis and fungal disease (particularly histoplasmosis and coccidioidomycosis). Sarcoidosis is a relatively frequent cause of lymphadenopathy in young adults, and can be distinguished from other diseases - especially when enlarged lymph nodes are found to be multiple and symmetrical. Other conditions discussed in this review are silicosis, drug reactions, amyloidosis, heart failure, Castleman's disease, viral infections, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
authors: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: carlos.s.nin@gmail.com.
authors: Carlos Schüler
authors: CS
authors: Nin
authors: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: viniciusvss@gmail.com.
authors: Vinícius Valério Silveira
authors: VV
authors: de Souza
authors: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: rh.doamaral@gmail.com.
authors: Ricardo Holderbaum
authors: RH
authors: do Amaral
authors: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: npcbeto@hotmail.com.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Schuhmacher Neto
authors: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: grtalves@gmail.com.
authors: Giordano Rafael Tronco
authors: GR
authors: Alves
authors: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: edsonmarchiori@gmail.com.
authors: Edson
authors: E
authors: Marchiori
authors: Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom. Electronic address: klaus.irion@lhch.nhs.uk.
authors: Klaus Loureiro
authors: KL
authors: Irion
authors: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: balbinotf@gmail.com.
authors: Fernanda
authors: F
authors: Balbinot
authors: Fleury Medicina Diagnóstica, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
authors: Gustavo de Souza Portes
authors: GS
authors: Meirelles
authors: Hospital São Joaquim Beneficência Portuguesa, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
authors: Pablo
authors: P
authors: Santana
authors: Hospital São Joaquim Beneficência Portuguesa, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
authors: Antônio Carlos Portugal
authors: AC
authors: Gomes
authors: Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: brunohochhegger@gmail.com.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Hochhegger
mesh_terms: D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001607:Berylliosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003047:Coccidioidomycosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006660:Histoplasmosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008482:Mediastinum; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012829:Silicosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013909:Thorax; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: Benign disease; Computed tomography; Lymphadenopathy; Thoracic disease