Diagnosis of the case presented in the previous edition

RADIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis of the case presented in the previous edition

Gustavo de Souza Portes Meirelles; Dany Jasinowodolinski; Nestor L Müller

Universidade Federal de São Paulo – UNIFESP, Federal University of São Paulo – São Paulo, Brazil; Fleury Center for Diagnostic Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil; University of British Columbia – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Pulmonary metastases from uterine sarcoma

Comments

Pulmonary metastases typically manifest in the form of sparse nodes or masses, predominantly in the lower lobes and typically presenting regular borders. However, there are atypical forms of pulmonary metastases that manifest as parenchymal cavities, endobronchial lesions, atelectasis, pneumothorax, tumor embolism and calcifications.⁽¹⁾

Some tumors, such as sarcomas, can present cavitary metastases, and one of the complications is pneumothorax, due to rupture of the lesion into the pleural space and formation of bronchopleural fistula. Other aspects that can be found in pulmonary metastases of sarcomas are calcifications in the lesions and, occasionally, areas of ground-glass attenuation, resulting from hemorrhage, near the site of the damage.

In the case presented, the patient had a history of uterine surgery. The initial diagnosis was uterine leiomyomas (benign lesions), confirmed as leiomyosarcomas after surgical procedure.

References

Readers correctly diagnosing the case presented in the November/December 2007 issue:

Ana Paula Zanardo – Hospital Mãe de Deus – Porto Alegre – RS

Jorge Montessi – Faculdade de Ciências Médicas e da Saúde de Juiz de Fora – Juiz de Fora – MG

Rui Haddad – Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – Rio de Janeiro – RJ

• 1. Seo JB, Im JG, Goo JM, Chung MJ, Kim MY. Atypical pulmonary metastases: spectrum of radiologic findings. Radiographics. 2001;21:403-17.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  08 Feb 2008
• Date of issue
  Jan 2008