Current Thoracic Surgery

Background: Hydatid cyst disease, which is mostly caused by Echinococcus granulosus, may result in high morbidity rates particularly in endemic regions, and mortality depending on its size and on the organs where it is located. While the disease can be diagnosed radiologically because of typical symptoms, it becomes more difficult to distinguish it from lung malignancies as the cysts get complicated.

Materials and Methods: 15 cases of pulmonary hydatid cyst that underwent clinical and radiological examinations and surgery after being diagnosed as lung abscess and lung cancer between 2008 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Radiological features of the 80% of the cases in thoracic CT were mimicking tumour in the form of thick walled cavitary lesion, hilar mass, cystic necrotic solid mass or solid mass; and 20% of them had radiological features mimicking abscess in the form of thin walled cavitary lesion. Lobectomy was performed for one case, wedge resection was performed for two cases and cystotomy-capitonnage was performed for 12 cases.

Conclusions: It should be kept in mind that pulmonary hydatid cyst clinically and radiologically may mimic lung cancer and lung abscess.