Main causes of lymph node calcification:
- benign
- tuberculosis
- histoplasmosis
- sarcoidosis
- silicosis
- coal worker's pneumoconiosis
- amyloidosis
- malignant
- treated lymphoma and metastases
Aids to differentiating cause: silicosis vs sarcoidosis vs tuberculosis
- calcified lymph nodes in tuberculosis tend to affect the mediastinum asymmetrically and unilaterally
- diffuse bilateral lymph node involvement is more common in sarcoidosis
- silicosis: the patient usually has a history of a silica-exposure related job (as in this case)