Discussion
Diagnosis With Brief Discussion
- Diagnosis
- Pulmonary paragonimiasis with mediastinal parasitic cysts
- Radiologic Findings
- Fig 1-2. Lung window setting of chest CT at the level of aortic arch shows irregular pulmonary nodule in RUL anterior segment. Contiguous serpentine linear opacity is noted at anterior aspect of irregular shape pulmonary nodule. Mediastinal setting of the pre- and post-contrast chest CT at the level of left atrium and cardiac base scans rim-enhanced lobulated tubular structures and nodules in the right anterior mediastinum and bilateral cardiophrenic area. There is no obvious calcification of these lesions. Small right pleural effusion is noted.
Figs 3. FDG-PET scan shows mild FDG uptake of this pulmonary and mediastinal lesions (SUVmax 3.2~3.5).
- Brief Review
- Paragonimiasis is a trematode (fluke) infection transmitted via consumption of raw or undercooked crab or crayfish. Approximately 16 species have been reported to cause disease in humans, the most common of which is the oriental lung fluke, P. westermani. Paragonimiasis can have pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations. Extrapulmonary paragonimiasis: Immature flukes can also migrate to extrapulmonary tissues, such as the brain, abdomen, and subcutaneous tissues. Other ectopic localizations such as the heart, mediastinum, striated muscle, spinal cord, parotid gland, testes, and breasts have also been described. Eggs or flukes in ectopic sites can provoke an inflammatory reaction, resulting in cyst, abscess, or granuloma formation. In case of pleuropulmonary paragonimiasis, focal fibrotic pleural thickening adjacent to a pulmonary nodule can be an important clue to the diagnosis of pleuropulmonary paragonimiasis. In addition, subpleural or subfissural nodules, often containing a necrotic low-attenuation area, may be observed on computed tomography (CT),
Of the Paragonimus westermani infestation, mediastinal paragonimiasis is a rare condition because of its life cycle.
- References
- 1. Song KH, Baek MJ, Sun K, Kim KT, Lee IS, Kim HM: Pulmonary hamartoma. Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1993 Jan;26(1):67-69
2. Kim TS, Han J, Shim SS, et al. Pleuropulmonary paragonimiasis: CT findings in 31 patients. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2005; 185:616.
- Keywords
- Pleuropulmonary Paragonimiasis, Mediastinum, Pleura,