A retrospective analysis of transudative pleural effusion due to fibrosing mediastinitis.

BACKGROUND: Pleural effusion caused by fibrosing mediastinitis is rarely reported. This study aimed to summarize the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of transudative pleural effusion due to fibrosing mediastinitis. METHODS: Medical records and follow-up data of 7 patients with transudative pleural effusion due to fibrosing mediastinitis in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital between May 2014 and Feb 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: These patients included 4 males and 3 females, with an average age of (64 ± 9) years. There were 3 left-sided effusions, 2 right-sided effusions and 2 bilateral effusions. Previous or latent tuberculosis was found in 6 patients. Pulmonary hypertension was indicated by echocardiography in all the 7 patients. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) of all the 7 cases showed increased soft tissue images visible in the mediastinum and bilateral hilus, different degrees of stenosis or occlusion in the pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein. In addition, 4 cases were found of right middle lobe atelectasis with a mediastinal window setting. There was interstitial pulmonary edema on the side of pleural effusion with a lung window setting. All the 7 patients were treated with intermittent drainage of pleural effusion combined with diuretic therapy. Five patients were treated with antituberculosis therapy. Up to now, two patients died of right heart failure and respiratory failure after 2 and 16 months respectively; The remaining 5 patients were still in follow up. CONCLUSION: Fibrosing mediastinitis can lead to pulmonary vein stenosis or occlusion, and thus cause transudative pleural effusion, which can be detected by CTPA. Pulmonary hypertension, long time of cough, and a history of tuberculosis are common in these patients. The common therapy is intermittent drainage of pleural effusion combined with diuretic therapy.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Pulmonary Artery Sarcoma.

OBJECTIVES: A retrospective cohort study was designed to describe the clinical features and outcomes of pulmonary artery sarcoma (PAS). METHODS: Twenty-two (22) consecutive patients diagnosed with PAS by pathological examination were enrolled and followed up until they died or until January 2020. The medical records were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the clinical characteristics, image findings, and outcomes. RESULTS: 1) Twenty-one (21, 95.5%) patients were firstly misdiagnosed. Dyspnoea was the most common presenting symptom (19 of 22, 86.4%). 2) Filling defects in the right pulmonary artery were seen in 17 patients (77.3%) with computed tomography pulmonary angiography or magnetic resonance pulmonary angiography. Among those patients, 14 underwent positron emission tomography-computed tomography detection and 13 (92.9%) were found to have increased uptake value in the pulmonary artery. 3) The median survival (from diagnosis to death or January 2020) of the total series was 11.6 months (range, 0.7-68.5 months). The estimated cumulative survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 52.6%, 32.8%, and 19.7%, respectively. Patients who received surgery and/or chemo-radiotherapy treatment had a better survival rate compared with patients without treatment (the estimated cumulative survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 60.3%, 39.1%, and 29.3%, respectively, vs 33.3%, 16.6%, and 0, accordingly) and better survival time (median survival 17.02 vs 3.16 months, respectively) (p=0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary artery sarcoma is easily misdiagnosed, as the symptoms and routine image detection are nonspecific. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography may be helpful in diagnosis. Surgery and/or chemo-radiotherapy offer a chance for better outcomes.

Differential Diagnosis of Pulmonary Artery Sarcoma and Central Chronic Pulmonary Thromboembolism Using CT and MR Images.

BACKGROUND: Clinical and imaging manifestations are similar in pulmonary artery sarcomas (PAS) and thromboembolic diseases, especially central chronic pulmonary thromboembolism (CPTE). The feasibility of utilising clinical imaging tools such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for differential diagnosis of PAS and CPTE has not been fully explored, especially MRI. METHODS: Patients with PAS (n=18) and central CPTE (n=20) treated at our hospital between January 2013 and September 2016 were identified retrospectively. Computed tomography and MRI findings of pulmonary artery (PA) filling defects including the location, the involvement of pulmonary artery, morphology, signal intensities and enhancement in MRI, calcification, sizes of right atrium and ventricle, inner diameters of the pulmonary artery trunk and branches, and mediastinal collateral circulation in both groups were examined, and differences were analysed by Fisher exact test and independent sample t-test. RESULTS: Compared to those of central CPTE, PAS lesions were in full shape or expansive growth (p<0.001), and the proximal end of the tumours was often bulging or lobulated (p<0.001). These lesions were aneurysm- or grape-like distally (p<0.01) with inhomogeneous enhancement (p<0.001). The MRI contrast enhancement pattern of PAS lesions were cloudy with inhomogeneous delayed enhancement and the time-density curves for some of the lesions increased gradually. CONCLUSION: Computed tomographic and MR imaging manifestations may resemble PAS and central CPTE; however, some manifestations still have great value for the differential diagnosis of these two conditions, specifically the morphology and MRI enhancement patterns.

[The clinical application of electron beam tomography in the diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical significance of electron beam computerized tomography (EBCT) in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). METHODS: EBCT was performed before March 2004 in 114 consecutive patients with clinically suspected pulmonary vascular diseases, including 76 patients with PTE, 29 with pulmonary arteritis, 5 with primary pulmonary arterial tumor, and 4 with pulmonary arterial invasion by lung or mediastinal carcinoma. EBCT was performed using Imatron C-150 scanner with enhanced continuum volume scan (CVS). The slice thickness was 3 mm with scanning time of 0.1 s. The total amount of contrast media (Omnipaque-300) used was 50-100 ml, with flow rates of 3.0-4.0 ml/s and a delay time of 14-25 s. RESULTS: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) was confirmed in 58 (76.3%) of the 76 patients with PTE (52 men and 24 women), 8 (10.6%) of them without apparent causes. Of the 2 356 pulmonary arterial branches observed in the 76 cases, 1,668 branches (70.8%) showed signs of PTE, with 545 branches (32.7%) of the central pulmonary arteries and 1 123 branches (67.3%) of the peripheral pulmonary arteries. Central type filling defect, such as the "railway sign" or the "drifting sign", was specific for acute thrombosis. Thrombus calcification was a specific sign of chronic PTE. Indirect signs of PTE included mosaic signs, enlargement of the right ventricle and atrium, pulmonary artery enlargement, pulmonary infarction, pericardial and/or pleural effusion, pulmonary atelectasis and pulmonary consolidation. Pulmonary arteritis (including pulmonary arterial involvement in Takayasu arteritis) was diagnosed by EBCT in 27 (93.1%) of the 29 patients, in which the diagnosis was confirmed by pulmonary angiography in 16, and clinically in 13 Patients. Of the 5 patients with primary pulmonary arterial tumor confirmed by pathology, 1 was misdiagnosed by EBCT. Of the 4 patients with pulmonary arterial involvement by lung or mediastinal carcinoma, 3 were confirmed by surgery and 1 by pulmonary angiography. CONCLUSIONS: DVT and PTE are different manifestations of one disease. The diagnostic strategy aims to detect thrombosis in the pulmonary arteries and in the deep veins of the lower limbs at the same time. EBCT is an effective and non-invasive examination in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of PTE. By EBCT, acute and chronic thrombi can be initially differentiated, and changes in lung parenchyma, mediastinum, and the pulmonary and systemic arterial walls can be observed, and therefore more valuable radiological information can be collected for clinical decision-making.