Lung adenocarcinoma

Case contributed by Henry Knipe
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Chronic cough.

Patient Data

Age: 70 years
Gender: Female
x-ray

Ill-defined opacity in the medial right upper zone. Cardiomediastinal contour is unremarkable.

FDG-18 PET-CT

Nuclear medicine

Spiculated mass in the right upper lobe, which is intensely FDG-avid. No evidence of nodal or distant metastases. 

The patient proceeded to bronchoscopy and bronchial washings were obtained. 

Histopathology

Microscopic description: The smears and cell block are hypercellular with abundant malignant glandular cells occurring singly and in groups, with scattered bronchial cells, in a background of blood. 

Diagnosis: Non small cell carcinoma - adenocarcinoma.

Case Discussion

Lung adenocarcinoma is a subtype of non small cell lung cancer. Differentiating lung cancer histologically on imaging is difficult, and in this case there are no specific features to help. 

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