Pleural thickening is a descriptive term given to describe any form of thickening involving either the parietal or visceral pleura.
It can occur with both benign and malignant pleural disease. According to etiology it may be classified as:
-
benign pleural thickening
- following recurrent inflammation
- following recurrent pneumothoraces
- following a pleural empyema
- following talc pleurodesis
- as a delayed complication of a hemothorax
- collagen-vascular disease (rheumatoid arthritis, effusion fails to resolve) 7
- related to occupational/inhalational lung disease
-
malignant pleural thickening
- primary malignant pleural disease
- pleural metastases
- secondary pleural lymphoma
Pleural thickening can also be classified into various subtypes according to morphology:
- focal pleural thickening
- diffuse pleural thickening
- nodular pleural thickening
Differential diagnosis
- pleural effusion
- pleural pseudoplaque
- on frontal chest radiograph, the arms may be projected over the lower lateral chest wall, mimicking pleural thickening
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