Presentation
Cough and shortness of breath.
Patient Data
Homogeneous mass-like ovoid opacity in the right horizontal fissure, with confirmation on the lateral view. No confluent consolidation or lung nodules. No hilar lymphadenopathy. Normal heart size. Normal bones and soft tissues.
Case Discussion
The term pulmonary pseudotumor may be used to describe a well-circumscribed collection of pleural effusion contained within an interlobar pulmonary fissure 1. Most frequently their appearance is associated with congestive heart failure, but also other disorders like hypoalbuminemia, renal insufficiency or pleuritis 2. They are presumptively diagnosed on chest radiographs based on their typical lenticular contour and their location along the course of interlobar fissures.
If misdiagnosed as a parenchymal lung lesion, this may lead to unnecessary patient anxiety, costly imaging studies and invasive procedures including attempted tissue biopsies 1. It is important to be aware of this entity that constitutes "nodule mimics" along with other structures such as nipples, skin lesions and rib lesions among others.