A rare 'incidentaloma' found on low-dose CT screening for lung cancer: 'scanner beware'

Postgrad Med. 2017 Aug;129(6):653-656. doi: 10.1080/00325481.2017.1334506. Epub 2017 Jun 5.

Abstract

Screening for lung cancer with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been shown to reduce mortality and has been recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for adults 55 to 80 years of age with a 30 pack-year smoking history who are either current smokers or those that quit within 15 years. However, the overwhelming majority of abnormalities detected are not from malignancy. We report a case of pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis, here-to-fore thought of as extremely uncommon, and make readers aware that this may be increasingly found as LDCT is more widely adopted.

Keywords: Screening; eosinophilic granuloma; histiocytosis X; pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Image-Guided Biopsy
  • Incidental Findings
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Male
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Smoking / adverse effects
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods*