Magnetic resonance imaging findings of eosinophilic pleural effusion: A case report

Year 2014, Volume: 19 Issue: 3, 154 - 157, 06.01.2015

Masashi Ohe

Abstract

We report a case of idiopathic eosinophilic pleural effusion, the diagnosis of which was troublesome due to a considerable difference in properties between right and left pleural effusions. A 58-year-old woman was admitted with a 4-week history of right-sided chest pain. Bilateral pleural effusions were detected on computed tomography. EPE was not identified by initial aspiration from left-sided pleural effusion with scant eosinophils, but was diagnosed by secondary aspiration from right-sided pleural effusion rich in eosinophils. We searched for a means to distinguish between bilateral pleural effusions. As a result, diffusion-weighted imaging was found to distinguish right- from left-sided effusion. The patient was subsequently treated successfully with corticosteroid
treatment. 

Keywords

Magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, eosinophilic pleural effusion

References

• Baysal T, Bulut T, Gokirmak M, Kalkan S, Dogan M. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of pleural fluid: differentiation of transudative vs exudative pleural effusions. Eur Radiol 2004; 14: 890–896.
• Inan N, Arslan A, Akansel G, Arsan Z, Eleman L, Demirci A. Diffusion-weighted MRI in the characterization of pleural effusions. Diagn Interv Radiol 2009; 15: 13–18.
• Kozawa E, Inoue K, Tanaka J, Meguro S, Yasuda M, Fujiwara K, Kimura F. Unusual MR findings in ovaria leiomyoma. Magn Reson Med Sci 2013; 12: 57-61.
• Onur MR, Poyraz AK, Bozdag PG, Onder S, Aygun C. Diffusion weighted MRI in chronic viral hepatitis: correlation between ADC values and histopathological scores. Insights Imaging 2013; 4: 393-345.
• Lim J, Yu JS, Hong SW, Chung JJ, Kim JH, Kim KW. A case of mass-forming splenic tuberculosis: MRI findings with emphasis of diffusion-weighted imaging characteristics. J Korean Med Sci 2011; 26: 457–460.
• Rubins JB, Rubins HB. Etiology and prognostic significance of eosinophilic pleural effusion, a prospective study. Chest 1996; 110: 1271–1274.
• Kuhn M, Fitting JW, Leuenberger P. Probability of malignancy in pleural fluid eosinophilia. Chest 1989; 96: 992–994.
• Adelman M, Albelda SM, Gottlieb J, Haponik EF. Diagnostic utility of pleural fluid eosinophilia. Am J Med 1984; 77: 915–920.
• Özkara SK, Turan G, Başyiğit I. Clinicopathologic significance of eosinophilic pleural effusions in a population with a high prevalence of tuberculosis and cancer. Acta Cytol 2007; 51: 773-781.