Background. Percutaneous lung biopsy is an essential step in the management of equivocal lung lesions. Percutaneous lung biopsy is a minimally-invasive procedure with a diagnostic accuracy of more than 90% and a major complication rate of less than 6%(1). Because it is an easy, rapid and safe procedure, percutaneous lung biopsy has become an attractive diagnostic tool for both radiologists and clinicians. However, before planning a percutaneous lung biopsy, the radiologist must carefully evaluate the lung lesion in order to avoid unnecessary lung biopsies.
Aim. The aim of this paper is to evaluate pulmonary pseudolesions that do not require biopsy and to point out key imaging features that help differentiate these lesions from lung cancer.
Case presentations. The authors are analyzing six cases of pulmonary pseudolesions (round pneumonia, pulmonary infarction, round atelectasis, pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm, pulmonary sequestration and inflammatory pseudotumour) encountered in our hospital that were referred to biopsy as suspicious for malignancy.
Conclusions. There is a wide range of conditions that produce imaging features that mimic lung cancer. However, a careful evaluation of the lesion along with relevant clinical and laboratory findings help make an accurate diagnosis.
