Organizing Pneumonia Presenting as a Lung Mass

 

The patient usually presents with a solitary nodule on chest X-ray or CT scan.

 

Clinical findings may be absent or may include:

(1) cough

(2) shortness of breath

(3) chest pain

 

Situations in which the diagnosis can be challenging:

(1) limited tissue sampling that shows atypical pneumocyte hyperplasia

(2) the patient has risk factors for lung cancer

(3) absence of a preceding history of aspiration or pneumonia (occult onset)

(4) positive PET scan or contrast enhancement on CT scan

 

A patient may undergo wedge or other limited resection, which is usually curative.