Key result
PET/CT and pathology successfully diagnose primary pleural epithelioid angiosarcoma in a patient presenting with hydropneumothorax.
Why the study?
Primary pleural epithelioid angiosarcoma is an extremely rare tumor with limited clinical data and frequent misdiagnosis.
Case Report (n=1)
Primary pleural epithelioid angiosarcoma should be considered in cases of hydropneumothorax of unknown cause, with PET/CT and immunohistochemistry being essential for accurate diagnosis.
May prompt consideration of rare pleural angiosarcoma in unexplained hydropneumothorax; leaves open validation in larger cohorts.
Introduction: Primary pleural epithelial angiosarcoma (EAS) is an extremely rare tumor with no specific clinical symptoms. Clinical data on primary pleural EAS are limited, and misdiagnosis often occurs. Case Presentation: The present study reports the case of a 31-year-old patient diagnosed with primary pleural EAS with lung and bone metastases. The patient presented with persistent right chest pain for 5 months and dyspnea for 2 months. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed right hydropneumothorax, diffuse thickening of the right pleura, passive atelectasis, and scattered nodules in the left lung. A medical thoracoscopic pleural biopsy revealed a vasogenic tumor. To further confirm the diagnosis, positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) examination was recommended to determine the biopsy site after multidisciplinary discussion. Increased 18F-FDG uptake in the right pleura and hypermetabolic nodules in the right chest wall, first lumbar vertebrae, second sacral vertebrae, and bilateral iliac crest was detected via PET/CT. CT-guided chest wall and lung biopsies were performed. Immunohistochemistry of specific markers was performed according to remote consultation with a pathologist, and tumor cells with strong positive expression of CD31, CD34, and ETS-related genes led to the final diagnosis of primary pleural EAS. Conclusion: Primary pleural EAS should be considered for hydropneumothorax of an unknown cause. PET/CT can accurately locate the lesion. The pathological examination is the basis for primary pleural EAS diagnosis. Moreover, multidisciplinary discussion and remote expert consultation can improve the diagnosis rate of primary pleural EAS.
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Zhu et al. (2024) conducted a case report in Primary pleural epithelioid angiosarcoma (n=1). PET/CT and pathological examination was evaluated on Diagnosis of primary pleural epithelioid angiosarcoma. PET/CT and pathological examination successfully diagnosed primary pleural epithelioid angiosarcoma in a 31-year-old patient presenting with hydropneumothorax.
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