Abstract
The purpose of this work was to describe CT findings of the parietal pleura and extrapleural space in patients with chronic tuberculous empyema and to compare them with histopathologic findings following decortication. Chest CT scans obtained from 13 patients with chronic tuberculous empyema who underwent decortication were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were men from 18 to 67 years old (mean 42 years old). CT findings of the parietal pleura and extrapleural space were correlated with histopathologic findings in all patients. Histopathologically, the enhanced parietal pleural peel on CT was fibrous collagenous tissue, and a low attenuated layer with 2 mm thickness within the parietal pleural peel (n = 2) was either a layer of histiocytes or caseation necrosis. The extrapleural space seen as an intermediate attenuation in six patients on CT was the proliferation of vessels, inflammatory cells, and granulomas in loose collagen background. The linear soft tissue attenuation interrupting the extrapleural fat (n = 5) on CT was a collagenous fibrous layer with proliferation of vessels and inflammatory cells. A layer of low attenuation in the parietal pleural peel may be due to different episodes of infection. The extrapleural space with intermediate attenuation may indicate ongoing inflammation. Linear soft tissue attenuation interrupting the extrapleural fat represents a fibrous layer rather than the subcostalis muscle.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.