CTICasesSubpleural Fat Hypertrophy in Chronic Pleural Disease
Imaging findings
CT demonstrates a persistent pleural effusion and pleural thickening with a chest tube in place. There is marked thickening and prominence of the extrapleural/subpleural fat layer adjacent to the thickened parietal pleura, along with inflammatory edema and increased attenuation within the overlying chest wall fascia.
Key takeaways
Hypertrophy of the extrapleural fat is a common, benign response to chronic pleural inflammation, such as that seen in empyema, tuberculosis, or chronic effusions. Identifying this thickened fat layer on CT helps confirm the chronicity of the pleural process and assists in identifying the true boundary of the chest wall.
AI-assisted summary — may contain errors. Verify against the source video. Learn more
More from this webinar
- HIV LipodystrophyMetabolic
- HibernomaNeoplastic
- Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss)Autoimmune
- Plasma Cell Variant of Castleman DiseaseNeoplastic
- Retained VATS PortIatrogenic
- Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis with Malignant Transformation to Squamous Cell CarcinomaNeoplastic
- Bronchopulmonary DysplasiaCongenital
- Fibrosing Mediastinitis Secondary to SarcoidosisAutoimmune
See all cases from December 16, 2016 →
Related Inflammatory cases
- Constrictive Pericarditis
- Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in Disseminated Tuberculosis
- Bronchiolitis Obliterans
- Drug-Related Eosinophilic Pneumonia Secondary to Progesterone Preparation
- Sarcoid-Like Reaction Induced by Interferon Therapy
- Sarcoid-Like Reaction in Patient on Pirfenidone for IPF