Lung tumours
This topic covers benign lung tumours (hamartoma, adenoma), the differential diagnosis of a single round lung lesion, the malignant and secondary tumours that must be told apart from them, and hydatid disease of the lung.
Classification
- Benign
- Epithelial origin: adenoma
- Non-epithelial origin: hamartoma, teratoma, myoma, angioma, lipoma, neurinoma
- Malignant
- Primary: carcinoma, sarcoma
- Secondary: metastatic
Benign lung tumours
Hamartoma: the most common of this group, usually asymptomatic, and it contains cells from the 3 germ layers. CXR: well demarcated oval shading. CT: nodules under 2.5 cm with smooth outlines, fat-equivalent areas and granular inclusions in the form of popcorn calcification. DD: chondro- and osteosarcoma, colon carcinoma, fibroleiomyoma.
Adenoma: the most common tumour of epithelial origin, with central or peripheral localisation and endobronchial or exobronchial development. CXR shows a round shadow up to 3-4 cm with sharp, smooth outlines.
DD of a single round lesion in the lung: bronchogenic carcinoma, single metastasis, hamartoma, granuloma, pulmonary cyst, pulmonary infarction, haemangioma, abscess, etc.