Pleural calcification

Case contributed by Mohamed Mahmoud Elthokapy
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Chronic cough and left-sided chest pain for a long time.

Patient Data

Age: 50 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

Left lower hemithorax dense irregular linear calcifications deep to the left lateral rib cage associated with tenting of the left diaphragm. 

Lungs are clear.

ct

CT images confirm a thick sheet of pleural thickening and calcification on the left costal pleural surface. A review of other windows showed no signs of asbestos-related lung disease.

Case Discussion

The presence of a solitary, evident unilateral sheet of pleural calcification points more to local causes such as previous hemothorax and pleural infection (empyema) than to calcification of asbestos-related plaques.

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