Tuesday 21 September 2010

MRCP revision battle 17.5: Pleural calcification

Pleural calcification pops up both in real life and in MRCP questions intermittently.


The commonest cause is asbestosis. 
This tends to be bilateral and spare the costophrenic angles


So, if the pleural calcification is unilateral consider:
  • previous haemothorax
  • previous TB pleuritis
  • previous empyema

Other differentials to consider are:
  • previous radiotherapy/radiation exposure
  • post talc pleurodesis, which will mimic calcification.


Lets return to a full-speed gallop to our last battle of the day, pseudoxanthoma elasticum