Introduction:
Pulmonary hydatid cyst, caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, is rare but potentially serious. We present a 17-year-old female with a one-year history of respiratory symptoms, diagnosed with a large pulmonary hydatid cyst. This case emphasises the importance of considering parasitic infections in respiratory presentations, especially in individuals with relevant travel or exposure history, and highlights diagnostic challenges associated with this condition.
Patient details:
17 year female presented with complaints of fever, cough ,chest pain and breathing difficulty from last one year.
Report:
- Findings:
- A large well-defined thick-walled cyst measuring 14.8 x 13.5 x 11.3 cm containing fluid only, seen in the left lower lobe. The cyst is abutting the left lower lobe bronchus without obvious narrowing. Additionally, it is abutting the posterior pericardium without obvious invasion. No soft tissue component or wall calcification is noted.
- Rest of the bilateral lungs appear normal.
- The trachea and major bronchi are unremarkable.
- Cardiac size is within normal limits.
- No significant mediastinal lymphadenopathy is seen.
- No pleural or pericardial effusion is observed.
- Visualized solid organs of the upper abdomen are normal within the limits of NCCT.
- Visualized spine, ribs, and other bones are unremarkable.
Impression:
HRCT chest reveals:
- A large well-defined thick-walled cystic lesion in the left lung lower lobe. CT features are more in favor of pulmonary hydatid cyst.
Advice:
- Recommend CECT chest for further evaluation.