pleural calcification

Introduction

Introduction When there is an organic blood clot or cheese necrotic substance in the pleural cavity, calcium salt may be deposited to form pleural calcification. Pleural calcification is more common in tuberculous pleurisy, suppurative pleurisy and injurious hemothorax. Some pneumoconiosis, such as talc lung and asbestosis, may also have pleural calcification and are often bilateral. Pleural calcification often coincides with pleural thickening and adhesion.

Cause

Cause

Causes of pleural calcification

Pleural calcification is more common in tuberculous pleurisy, suppurative pleurisy and injurious hemothorax. Some pneumoconiosis, such as talc lung and asbestosis, may also have pleural calcification.

Examine

an examination

Related inspection

Chest CT examination general radiography

1. The pleural calcification can be plaque-like, dot-like, linear, strip-like, flaky or most calcified plaques. The density is very high. The CT value is usually above 100 HU in CT slices. Calcium deposits in large thickened pleural shadows are mostly in the visceral pleura and are distributed in strips. If the pleura is thickened and calcified at the lateral chest wall, a soft tissue shadow (ie, thickened pleural shadow) is seen between the calcified shadow and the chest wall in the orthotopic chest radiograph.

2. Some pleural calcification kits are wrapped outside the visceral pleura and have a certain distance from the bony thorax.

3. The calcification in the chest wall effusion is mostly spotted and aggregated into a round or oval shape. Examination with different oblique positions can show calcification on the pleural surface rather than in the lung field.

4. The pleural calcification in pneumoconiosis is often strip-like or patchy, and bilateral distribution is more common. Transmural pleural calcification is characterized by it.

Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis of pleural calcification:

According to the density can be clearly diagnosed, pay attention to whether the calcification is the pleura or the lung parenchyma, and the fluoroscopy or tangential photograph can be identified.

1. The pleural calcification can be plaque-like, dot-like, linear, strip-like, flaky or most calcified plaques. The density is very high. The CT value is usually above 100 HU in CT slices. Calcium deposits in large thickened pleural shadows are mostly in the visceral pleura and are distributed in strips. If the pleura is thickened and calcified at the lateral chest wall, a soft tissue shadow (ie, thickened pleural shadow) is seen between the calcified shadow and the chest wall in the orthotopic chest radiograph.

2. Some pleural calcification kits are wrapped outside the visceral pleura and have a certain distance from the bony thorax.

3. The calcification in the chest wall effusion is mostly spotted and aggregated into a round or oval shape. Examination with different oblique positions can show calcification on the pleural surface rather than in the lung field.

4. The pleural calcification in pneumoconiosis is often strip-like or patchy, and bilateral distribution is more common. Transmural pleural calcification is characterized by it.

Was this article helpful?

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.