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Pleural calcification

Case contributed by Vikas Shah
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Cough

Patient Data

Age: 65 years
Gender: Male

Chest x-ray

x-ray

Unfolded aorta. Lungs clear. Irregular dense linear process deep to left lateral rib cage. Lungs clear.

CT thorax

ct

Single CT image confirms pleural calcification on left lateral pleural surface. No pleural plaques or calcification elsewhere. Review on other windows showed no signs of asbestos-related lung disease.

Case Discussion

The presence of a solitary, albeit large, unilateral focus of pleural calcification points more to causes such as previous hemothorax and pleural infection than to calcification of asbestos-related plaques.

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