Overview of Cholesterol Pneumonia
Cholesterol pneumonia is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by long-term deposition of cholesterol in the lungs, which can be broadly categorized into primary and secondary. Secondary cases can be caused by chronic inflammation of the lungs, tuberculosis, abscesses, tumors, parasites, fibrosis, after chest radiotherapy, dust irritation and heavy smoking.
Etiology
The etiology and pathogenesis are not well understood. It can be roughly categorized into primary and secondary. The secondary ones can be caused by chronic inflammation of the lungs, tuberculosis, abscesses, tumors, parasites, fibrosis, after chest radiotherapy, dust irritation and heavy smoking.
Symptoms
Signs are diminished breath sounds at the site of the lesion, fixed wet rales, and no other abnormalities.
Examination
1. Laboratory examination
Some patients have normal serum cholesterol.
2. Other auxiliary examinations
X-ray chest radiograph shows lung mass shadow, ranging from (2cm×2cm) to (8cm×11cm), some with clear margins, some with unclear margins, and a few with lobulation and burr sign.
Diagnosis
CT has a strong resolution of lipid structures. The CT value of cholesterol pneumonia is nearly -150 to 60 HU of lipid density, while the CT value of lung cancer is between 57 and 147 HU. So CT is of great benefit for diagnosis. It is feared that the definitive diagnosis of this disease will also depend on invasive techniques that can obtain a large enough specimen, such as open chest, windowing, and thoracoscopy to obtain a specimen. Transbronchial lung biopsies often take small specimens and fail to confirm the disease.
Treatment
1. Symptomatic treatment.
2. Surgical resection is the mainstay of cholesterol pneumonia.