Pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma with pleural dissemination: report of a case

Surg Today. 2011 Feb;41(2):258-61. doi: 10.1007/s00595-009-4220-5. Epub 2011 Jan 26.

Abstract

Pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma is relatively rare and is usually considered a benign tumor. There have been no reports of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma with pleural dissemination. This report presents an extremely rare case of pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma with pulmonary dissemination. A 57-year-old woman was found to have an abnormal shadow in the right lower lung field on chest X-ray. Chest computed tomography (CT) indicated a 2.5-cm mass in the right lower lobe. A bronchoscopic biopsy failed to identify malignant cells, which led to the patient undergoing an excisional lung biopsy. Intraoperative findings showed a tumor in the right lower lobe with multiple small nodules in the pleura. The pathological findings revealed that the tumor was sclerosing hemangioma with pleural dissemination. Annual follow-up CT showed irregular pleural thickness, which suggested progressive dissemination 3 years after the operation. Although pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma is regarded as a benign tumor, the potential for malignancy may be a consideration in this setting.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Pleura / pathology*
  • Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Sclerosing Hemangioma / pathology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed