Min-Shu Hsieh1, Yi-Hsuan Lee2, Mong-Wei Lin3, Jin-Shing Chen4. 1. Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Pathology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 2. Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. 3. Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: mwlin@ntu.edu.tw. 4. Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Solitary pulmonary capillary hemangioma (SPCH) is a rare lung tumor typically presenting as pure or part-solid ground-glass nodules (GGNs) on computed tomography (CT), which clinically resembles early lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In addition to 10 recently diagnosed patients with SPCH, 71 benign lung nodules that were surgically resected between January 2013 and December 2017 were reviewed by thoracic pathologists to identify any previously unrecognized SPCH cases. Finally, 6 tumors (8.5%; 6/71) were determined to be SPCH. Elastic fiber stain (orcein stain) as well as immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin, CD31, and thyroid transcription factor 1 were performed for confirmation. Clinical and radiological data were analyzed. RESULTS: All 16 SPCH lesions were unrecognized or misdiagnosed by general pathologists. The SPCH ranged in size from 3 to 15 mm, and a predominance among women (68.8%; 11/16) was noted. Pathologically, all SPCH lesions were nodular with a higher vascular density than the adjacent lung tissue. Decreased cytokeratin staining and disrupted elastic fibers were clearly observed in all SPCH lesions. CONCLUSIONS: SPCH lesions mimic early lung cancer on CT; they are largely unrecognized by general pathologists and are diagnosed as other nonspecific benign lesions. With careful histologic examination, SPCH can be successfully diagnosed using cytokeratin/CD31 immunohistochemistry and elastic fiber staining.
OBJECTIVES: Solitary pulmonary capillary hemangioma (SPCH) is a rare lung tumor typically presenting as pure or part-solid ground-glass nodules (GGNs) on computed tomography (CT), which clinically resembles early lung cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In addition to 10 recently diagnosed patients with SPCH, 71 benign lung nodules that were surgically resected between January 2013 and December 2017 were reviewed by thoracic pathologists to identify any previously unrecognized SPCH cases. Finally, 6 tumors (8.5%; 6/71) were determined to be SPCH. Elastic fiber stain (orcein stain) as well as immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin, CD31, and thyroid transcription factor 1 were performed for confirmation. Clinical and radiological data were analyzed. RESULTS: All 16 SPCH lesions were unrecognized or misdiagnosed by general pathologists. The SPCH ranged in size from 3 to 15 mm, and a predominance among women (68.8%; 11/16) was noted. Pathologically, all SPCH lesions were nodular with a higher vascular density than the adjacent lung tissue. Decreased cytokeratin staining and disrupted elastic fibers were clearly observed in all SPCH lesions. CONCLUSIONS:SPCH lesions mimic early lung cancer on CT; they are largely unrecognized by general pathologists and are diagnosed as other nonspecific benign lesions. With careful histologic examination, SPCH can be successfully diagnosed using cytokeratin/CD31 immunohistochemistry and elastic fiber staining.