A Rare Case of an Azygos Lobe in the Right Lung of a 40-year-old Male.

Abstract

The azygos lobe is a rare anatomical variant, most often encountered in the right lung. Its etiology is related to a defect of the migration of the azygos vein during the embryonic development. Here, we describe a rare case of an azygos lobe of the right lung, diagnosed incidentally on a computed tomography (CT) scan in a 40-year-old male patient who presented with chest pain, shortness of breath, and fever. The initial differential diagnosis included acute myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, and myocarditis. Chest CT with contrast matter demonstrated a peculiar finding in the right lung which was recognized as an azygos vein passing through the upper lobe and separating an azygos lobe with its mesoazygos. The azygos lobe may be rarely associated with neoplastic processes or spontaneous pneumothorax and its differential diagnosis on imaging studies includes various conditions. Knowledge of this variation is important to avoid misdiagnosis or complications during thoracic surgery.