CTICasesCalcified In Situ Pulmonary Artery Thrombus
Imaging findings
Chest radiograph in a patient with a history of pulmonary embolism shows a discrete clump of calcium, initially suggesting histoplasmosis in an endemic region. The left lower lobe pulmonary artery appears wispy, with small vessels and darker lung at that site. CT localizes the calcium to within the pulmonary artery itself, with additional calcified foci more distally on the left and a smaller focus on the right. The pulmonary artery is not markedly dilated despite pulmonary hypertension, and there is modest right ventricular enlargement with septal flattening.
Key takeaways
Calcification within a pulmonary artery raises concern for calcified tumor, but thrombectomy here confirmed heavily calcified thrombus rather than tumor. Embolic or in situ thrombus can calcify in place over time, and calcification at more than one site suggests repeated episodes; proximal accumulation may follow when chronic distal disease has already made the circulation sluggish. Predisposing factors for calcification such as renal failure are worth checking. Calcified pulmonary arterial thrombus visible on a plain radiograph is rare, and regional vascular pruning with asymmetric lung attenuation is a useful corroborating sign.
AI-assisted summary — may contain errors. Verify against the source video. Learn more
More from this webinar
- Hybrid CPAM with Bronchial AtresiaCongenital
- AltaValve Transcatheter Mitral Valve ReplacementArtifact
- Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis with High-Attenuation MucusInflammatory
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus with Severe Pulmonary HypertensionCongenital
- Left Cervical Aortic Arch with Pseudocoarctation and Hypoplastic Right Upper LobeCongenital
- Cytomegalovirus Infection with a Miliary Pattern in a Kidney Transplant RecipientInfection
- Blastomycosis Mimicking Community-Acquired PneumoniaInfection
- Disseminated Blastomycosis with a Miliary PatternInfection
See all cases from August 11, 2026 →