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. 2019:60:287-290.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2019.06.030. Epub 2019 Jun 21.

Pulmonary metastasis presenting as a ground glass opacity-like lesion with a thin-walled cavity: A case report

Akira Haro  1 , Sho Wakasu  2 , Kazuki Takada  3 , Atsushi Osoegawa  3 , Takeshi Kamitani  4 , Tetsuzo Tagawa  3 , Masaki Mori  3
Affiliations

Pulmonary metastasis presenting as a ground glass opacity-like lesion with a thin-walled cavity: A case report

Akira Haro et al. Int J Surg Case Rep. 2019.

Abstract

Introduction: Most of pulmonary metastases present as well-defined solid and round nodules. Here we report a case of a pulmonary metastasis presenting as a ground glass opacity (GGO)-like lesion with a thin-walled cavity and lymph node metastasis of tongue cancer.

Case presentaion: A 22-year-old man was referred to our department for surgical diagnosis and treatment for a GGO-like pulmonary nodule with a thin-walled cavity in the right lower lobe. He had a history of surgical resection for tongue cancer. The size of the GGO-like lesion with a thin-walled cavity in the center gradually increased. A right lower lobectomy and hilar lymphadenectomy were performed. Postoperative pathology revealed the lesion as pulmonary metastasis and hilar lymph node metastasis of tongue cancer.

Discussion: Our case report of pulmonary metastasis of tongue cancer is rare from the viewpoint of pulmonary GGO-like lesions with a following thin-walled cavity and hilar lymph node metastasis. The positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) examination was useful to show right hilar lymph node metastasis.

Conclusion: It is important to make a differential diagnosis of from the pulmonary nodule in case of a GGO-like lesion with a thin-walled cavity.

Keywords: Ground glass opacity; Lymph node metastasis; Pulmonary metastasis; Squamous cell carcinoma; Thin-walled cavity; Tongue cancer.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Hematoxylin-eosin staining. a Low-power field; primary tongue squamous cell carcinoma, b High-power field.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
a CT showing a ground glass opacity-lesion in the right S6 segment. b A thin-walled cavity appeared in the center of the lesion. c The cavity extended, and its wall thickened. d The GGO-like lesion with the cavity gradually increased in size.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a Chest X-ray showed a cavity-lesion in the right middle field. b CT showing a GGO-like lesion with a thin-walled cavity. c Contrast chest CT showing no finding of an abnormal hilar lymph node metastasis. d PET examination showing SUV up take in the lesion with the thin-walled cavity and hilar lymph node.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Hematoxylin-eosin staining. a Low-power field; cavity (asterisk) and thick-wall (red double-headed arrow) b High-power field of the red square of Fig. 4a.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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