Clinical and radiological manifestations of 206 patients with pulmonary hydatidosis over a ten-year period

Abstract

Aim:

Pulmonary hydatidosis is a major health problem, particularly in Mediterranean countries, and manifests with different clinical and radiological forms. The aim of this study was to identify specific characteristics of the disease.

Methods:

We studied the clinical and radiological manifestations of 206 patients who were operated on for pulmonary hydatidosis in our institution between January 1993 and December 2002.

Results:

The clinical presentations were: cough in 112 patients (54%); chest pain in 75 patients (36%); dyspnoea in 52 (25%); haemoptysis in 39 (19%); fever and chills in 21 (10%); hydatidemesis in 21 (10%); pleuritis in 11 (5%); and spontaneous pneumothorax in seven patients (3%). Chest radiograph (CXR) and computerised tomography (CT) established the diagnosis in 184 patients (89%). Twenty-two patients (11%) manifested with nonspecific pulmonary shadows.

Conclusion:

Hydatid cyst disease has many clinical and radiological forms which should be recognized and included in the differential diagnosis of many pulmonary problems.

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