Subject(s)
Acute Lung Injury/chemically induced , Amiodarone/adverse effects , Anti-Arrhythmia Agents/adverse effects , Tachycardia, Ventricular/drug therapy , Alanine Transaminase/blood , Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/complications , Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/diagnostic imaging , Cough/chemically induced , Dyspnea/chemically induced , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pleural Effusion/chemically induced , Pleural Effusion/diagnostic imaging , Tachycardia, Ventricular/complications , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Metastatic pulmonary calcification is a consequence of calcium deposition in the normal pulmonary parenchyma, secondary to abnormal calcium metabolism. The most characteristic radiological manifestation is poorly defined nodular opacities that are mainly seen in the upper lung zone. The aim of this report is to describe the CT and MRI findings observed in two patients with metastatic pulmonary calcification. The disease may present in CT as consolidations with calcification, and with a high lesion/muscle signal intensity ratio on T(1) weighted imaging without contrast in MRI. The high signal on T(1) weighted imaging probably occurs because the low calcium concentration of the lesion changes the surface effects of diamagnetic calcium particles, causing T(1) shortening of water protons. MRI is a good option for characterising calcium accumulation caused by a metabolic disorder.
Subject(s)
Calcinosis/diagnosis , Kidney Failure, Chronic/complications , Lung Diseases/diagnosis , Adult , Calcinosis/etiology , Female , Glomerulonephritis/complications , Humans , Lung Diseases/etiology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Nephrotic Syndrome/complications , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Imaging studies play a critical role in the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. CT and 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography CT (PET/CT) are widely and routinely used for staging and assessment of treatment response. Many radiologists still use MRI only for the assessment of superior sulcus tumours, and in cases where invasion of the spinal cord canal is suspected. MRI can detect and stage lung cancer, and this method could be an excellent alternative to CT or PET/CT in the investigation of lung malignancies and other diseases. This pictorial essay discusses the use of MRI in the investigation of lung cancer.