Benign fibrous mesothelioma of the pleura: MR study and pathologic correlation

Eur Radiol. 1996;6(4):425-8. doi: 10.1007/BF00182457.

Abstract

Benign fibrous mesothelioma of the pleura is a rare tumor of mesodermal origin. We describe the MR findings in three pathologically proven cases. All three tumors were imaged by MR as well-circumscribed lesions with smooth margins in contact with the pleura, but without chest wall invasion. Their low signal intensity on T1- and T2-weighted sequences reflect their fibrous nature. In one case a pedicle connecting the tumor to the chest wall was visualized on a sagittal MR scan. In two cases gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted gradient echo sequences revealed intense contrast uptake by the tumor correlated with the intratumoral hypervascularization noted by histologic examination. Although the number of cases presented is small, MR seems to be the most accurate imaging modality in the assessment of the diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Contrast Media
  • Drug Combinations
  • Female
  • Fibrosis
  • Gadolinium
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Male
  • Meglumine
  • Mesothelioma / blood supply
  • Mesothelioma / diagnosis
  • Mesothelioma / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Pentetic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Pleural Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Pleural Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Pleural Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Thorax / pathology
  • Vimentin / analysis

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Drug Combinations
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Vimentin
  • Meglumine
  • Pentetic Acid
  • Gadolinium
  • Gadolinium DTPA