Tests for pleural tuberculosis are insensitive and expensive. We compared nonproprietary microscopic-observation drug-susceptibility (MODS) culture with Löwenstein-Jensen culture for evaluation of pleural specimens. MODS culture was associated with greatly increased diagnostic sensitivity and shorter time to diagnosis, compared with Löwenstein-Jensen culture (sensitivity of culture of biopsy sp...

A characteristic thoracoscopic picture of a granular parietal pleural surface was found in nine patients with rheumatoid pleurisy. Characteristic changes could be identified histopathologically in material obtained by biopsy. The rheumatoid pleural effusion resolved within an average of 14 months and no serious complications developed after the pleurisy. It is concluded that in rheumatoid pleur...

We report a case of Paragonimus westermani infection with a reticulonodular lesion in the right lung, left pleural effusion, and a mobile subcutaneous mass. Analyses of pleural effusion and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) showed marked eosinophilia and high levels of eosinophil cationic protein and interleukin (IL)-5. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed the presence of pneumonia with mild e...

Almost all cancers can cause distant pleural metastases. However, pleural metastases of soft tissue sarcoma that constitute less than 1% of adult solid malignancy are extremely rare. It is very difficult to distinguish them form sarcomatous malignant mesothelioma on histopathological features. We report a 57 year-old man who presented to us with left chest pain and progressive dyspnea and was d...

Blastomycosis is endemic in river valley areas of the southeastern and Midwestern United States. Pulmonary manifestations include chronic cough and pleuritic pain. Radiographic appearance of the infection can mimic bronchogenic lung carcinoma. Pleural effusion is rarely associated with this pulmonary infection, and empyema has not been previously reported. We report a case of pulmonary and pleu...

Introduction Pleural malignancy, particularly malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is increasing in incidence due to the long latency period from exposure to asbestos to development of the disease. MPM can be challenging to diagnose. For patients presenting without a pleural effusion, CT-guided biopsy remains the primary choice of biopsy, but the diagnostic sensitivity of this investigation is ...

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis is an uncommon infiltrative pulmonary disease characterized by deposition of microliths in the alveoli. We present the case of a young adult with complaints of shortness of breath on exertion. Chest radiograph showed innumerable small, dense nodules, diffusely involving both the lungs - predominantly in the lower zones. High-resolution CT scan illustrated wides...

Background The aim of this study was thus to evaluate the feasibility and safety of taking biopsy specimens by cryoprobe from the parietal pleura during semirigid pleuroscope. Methods In a single-center, observational, prospective study, patients with exudative pleural effusion (EPE) were evaluated with a semirigid pleuroscope between January 2015 and July 2017. Each patient underwent pleural...