Cannonball metastases (lungs)

Changed by Yahya Baba, 10 Apr 2023

Back to revision history

Disclosures - updated 8 Apr 2023: Nothing to disclose

Updates to Article Attributes

Body was changed:

Show markup changes

Cannonball metastases refer to multiple large, well-circumscribed, round pulmonary metastases that appear not unsurprisingly like cannonballs. The French terms "envolée de ballons" and "lâcher de ballons", which translate to "balloons release", are also used to describe this same appearance.

Metastases with such an appearance are classically secondary to ^1,2:

Or less common primary tumours:

Differential diagnosis

-Cannonball metastases refer to multiple large, well-circumscribed, round <a href="/articles/pulmonary-metastases">pulmonary metastases</a> that appear not unsurprisingly like cannonballs. The French terms "envolée de ballons" and "lâcher de ballons", which translate to "balloons release", are also used to describe this same appearance.Metastases with such an appearance are classically secondary to 1,2:<ul>
~~-<li><a href="/articles/renal-cell-carcinoma-1">renal cell carcinoma</a></li>~~
~~-<li><a href="/articles/choriocarcinoma">choriocarcinoma</a></li>~~
~~-</ul>Or less common primary tumours:<ul>~~
~~-<li>~~
~~-<a href="/articles/prostate-cancer-3">prostate carcinoma</a> 2~~
~~-</li>~~
~~-<li>~~
~~-<a href="/articles/endometrial-carcinoma">endometrial carcinoma</a> 2~~
~~-</li>~~
~~-<li>~~
~~-<a href="/articles/synovial-sarcoma">synovial sarcoma</a> 3~~
~~-</li>~~
~~-<li>~~
~~-<a href="/articles/adrenal-cortical-carcinoma-1">adrenal carcinoma</a> 4~~
~~-</li>~~
+Cannonball metastases refer to multiple large, well-circumscribed, round <a href="/articles/pulmonary-metastases">pulmonary metastases</a> that appear not unsurprisingly like cannonballs. The French terms "envolée de ballons" and "lâcher de ballons", which translate to "balloons release", are also used to describe this same appearance.Metastases with such an appearance are classically secondary to 1,2:<ul>
+<li><a href="/articles/renal-cell-carcinoma-1">renal cell carcinoma</a></li>
+<li><a href="/articles/choriocarcinoma">choriocarcinoma</a></li>
+</ul>Or less common primary tumours:<ul>
+<li><a href="/articles/prostate-cancer-3">prostate carcinoma</a> 2</li>
+<li><a href="/articles/endometrial-carcinoma">endometrial carcinoma</a> 2</li>
+<li><a href="/articles/synovial-sarcoma">synovial sarcoma</a> 3</li>
+<li><a href="/articles/adrenal-cortical-carcinoma-1">adrenal carcinoma</a> 4</li>
+</ul><h4>Differential diagnosis</h4><ul>
+<li><a href="/articles/diffuse-idiopathic-pulmonary-neuroendocrine-cell-hyperplasia" title="Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH)">diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH)</a></li>
+<li><a href="/articles/pulmonary-hydatid-infection" title="Pulmonary hydatid infection">pulmonary hydatid cysts</a></li>

References changed:

1. Arkless R. Renal Carcinoma: How It Metastasizes. Radiology. 1965;84(3):496-501. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1148/84.3.496">doi:10.1148/84.3.496</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14280724">Pubmed</a>
2. Ammannagari N & Polu V. 'Cannon Ball' Pulmonary Metastases. BMJ Case Rep. 2013;2013(jan08 1):bcr2012008158. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2012-008158">doi:10.1136/bcr-2012-008158</a> - <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23302554">Pubmed</a>
3. Cull S, Farhat R, Krishna A, Naydenov S. An Uncommon Presentation of Pulmonary Cannonball Metastasis. Chest. 2017;152(4):A905. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2017.08.940">doi:10.1016/j.chest.2017.08.940</a>
1. Arkless R. RENAL CARCINOMA: HOW IT METASTASIZES. Radiology. 1996;84: 496-501. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14280724">Pubmed citation</a>
2. Ammannagari N, Polu V. 'Cannon ball' pulmonary metastases. BMJ Case Rep. 2013;2013 (jan08 1): . <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2012-008158">doi:10.1136/bcr-2012-008158</a> - <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3604387">Free text at pubmed</a> - <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23302554">Pubmed citation</a>
3. Cull, Stephanie et al. An Uncommon Presentation of Pulmonary Cannonball Metastasis CHEST, Volume 152, Issue 4, A905 <a href='http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2017.08.940'>http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2017.08.940</a>

ADVERTISEMENT: Supporters see fewer/no ads

{"current_user":null,"inclusions":[{"imageId":52661147,"studyId":89838,"caseSlug":"canonball-lung-metastasis","caption":"Case 1: from renal cell carcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/52661147/1491bf417cd64f85971460234819f6e13847eb0d1927d1b48f85d94176498c68_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":62492488,"studyId":137252,"caseSlug":"cannonballs-illustration","caption":"Cannonballs (illustration)","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/62492488/7c170c23b5c516a7160691b07d4d7f9fe326741e43c7c99f792b1f312d5ddf8e_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":null},{"imageId":53499577,"studyId":96149,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-4","caption":"Case 2: from colorectal cancer","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/53499577/q_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":5635055,"studyId":27204,"caseSlug":"pulmonary-metastases-cannonball","caption":"Case 3: from renal cell carcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/5635055/e1f7f9cadd361dc8f452ace31700fe_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":12537087,"studyId":38288,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-from-renal-cell-carcinoma","caption":"Case 4: from renal cell carcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/12537087/c2819b416cd85d7deb4e21be533140_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":2151801,"studyId":18650,"caseSlug":"alveolar-soft-part-sarcoma","caption":"Case 5: from alveolar soft part sarcoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/2151801/5dbe0cfd669454cf110b1a94d8116d_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":5222178,"studyId":26271,"caseSlug":"cannon-ball-metastases-synovial-sarcoma-1","caption":"Case 6: from synovial sarcoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/5222178/1e22e0def5be0a9a0c50b05d9cbbfa_big_gallery.jpg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":18481666,"studyId":45032,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-from-endometrial-cancer","caption":"Case 7: from endometrial cancer","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/18481666/a0646489db9a6344052673b1f7629b_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":23533095,"studyId":50331,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-1","caption":"Case 8: from renal carcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/23533095/ad44a640682e508387daf0f60eb06d_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":4625580,"studyId":24989,"caseSlug":"lung-metastases-from-colorectal-cancer-1","caption":"Case 9: from colorectal cancer","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/4625580/776c4a0d36b31449fa76a586f3843e3da4d961dc40dfed0fec751aa35da7a8a6_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"},{"imageId":28985812,"studyId":57453,"caseSlug":"cannonball-pulmonary-metastases","caption":"Case 10: from breast cancer","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/28985812/51ee9884f05dab949b4e014bf1344a_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"},{"imageId":35551949,"studyId":65112,"caseSlug":"prostate-metastases-to-lung","caption":"Case 11: from prostate carcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/35551949/41f2e38c47d1eb2cb557b1852b3646_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"probable"},{"imageId":36589980,"studyId":65974,"caseSlug":"renal-cell-carcinoma-atypical-appearance-1","caption":"Case 12: from renal cell carcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/36589980/32356a3cf02ec3c4319eb6c3024933_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":41051948,"studyId":69923,"caseSlug":"lung-metastases-transitional-cell-carcinoma-1","caption":"Case 13: from transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/41051948/564e6f091294d0782c1299e30116fb_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":48574521,"studyId":77455,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-chest-x-ray-2","caption":"Case 14: from renal cell carcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/48574521/08304fcf57848d1f7988e6752586b4a679ea7b4347f338610f852ed739abb7a6_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":51120737,"studyId":80173,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-uterine-choriocarcinoma","caption":"Case 15: from uterine choriocarcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/51120737/a58a518df5673449b7f940fdfb6e2d_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"},{"imageId":55390791,"studyId":108569,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-from-breast-cancer","caption":"Case 18: from breast cancer","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/55390791/IMG-0009-00311_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":true,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":56105518,"studyId":112201,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-lung","caption":"Case 19: from renal cell carcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/56105518/11_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":56198810,"studyId":112802,"caseSlug":"cannonball-metastases-lungs-1","caption":"Case 20: from uterine sarcoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/56198810/Hetal_40_Uterine_sarcoma_big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_substantiated"},{"imageId":56844015,"studyId":117055,"caseSlug":"metastatic-gastric-adenocarcinoma-barium-study-1","caption":"Case 21: from gastric adenocarcinoma","thumbnail":"https://prod-images-static.radiopaedia.org/images/56844015/0._big_gallery.jpeg","isStack":false,"diagnosticCertainty":"confirmed_unsubstantiated"}],"ddx_inclusions":[],"lang":"us"}

Updating… Please wait.

Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.

Thank you for updating your details.

Cannonball metastases (lungs)

Updates to Article Attributes

Differential diagnosis

Articles

By Section:

By System:

Cases

Radiopaedia.org