Pleural rind
definition
The pleural rind or pleural callosity is a benign thickening of the pleura (pleura). Pleural rinds can be diagnosed using ultrasound, x-rays, or computed tomography / magnetic resonance imaging. They are not always associated with discomfort, but in some cases they can limit breathing capacity.
If the imaging reveals a pleural rind, it should usually be checked because the imaging cannot reliably differentiate it from a malignant cancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma). If there was a pleural mesothelium, it would differ from the pleural rind by its relatively rapid growth.
causes
The causes of thickening of the pleura are in most cases inflammatory processes, for example inflammation of the pleura or an inflammatory pleural effusion (water accumulation in the pleural space, i.e. in a small space in the area between the two sheets of the pleura). A relatively common cause of inflammation of the pleura is an accompanying inflammation in the context of pneumonia. Tuberculosis (consumption) can also lead to the development of pleural callosity. The pleural rind is a kind of scarred change after repeated strong irritation of the affected area.
Pleural rind after an operation
It is rare for a pleural rind to develop after an operation, but it can be the case if inflammatory processes have taken place in the pleura after the operation.
diagnosis
A pleural callus cannot be diagnosed from the outside, i.e. without imaging procedures. Imaging can take place, for example, by means of an ultrasound examination, an X-ray image of the burst cage or magnetic resonance imaging of the lungs (MRT) or computed tomography (CT) of the chest. Due to the radiation exposure or the high costs, the first two methods mentioned are usually suitable for diagnosing pleural callosity. However, it is not uncommon for a pleural skin to be an incidental finding.
Concomitant symptoms
A pleural rind can - depending on the extent - lead to adhesions in the lungs. Doing so can affect the expansion of the lungs. This can be noticed by the person affected by shortness of breath. The lack of expansion can be shown in a pulmonary function test. Often, however, pleural rinds do not cause any symptoms and are purely incidental.
Elevated diaphragm
A pleural rind can in rare cases cause an elevated diaphragm. With an elevated diaphragm, the diaphragm is higher on one of the two sides of the chest than would normally be the case. In many cases, an elevated diaphragm is not associated with symptoms and is often only noticed by chance in the X-ray.
Read more on the subject at: Elevated diaphragm
Pain
Pain rarely occurs in the context of a pleural skin. Mild shortness of breath may occur more frequently. If the findings are pronounced, however, pain can also occur in the area of the chest, where the callus is located.
treatment
In many cases, a pleural skin does not require treatment. During the initial diagnosis, however, the findings should be checked, for example by means of an X-ray or an ultrasound examination, in order to rule out that it is not a pleural skin but a malignant cancer of the pleura.
If the pleural skin causes discomfort, for example in the form of shortness of breath, surgical removal may be an option.Surgical removal is the only causal therapy option.
forecast
The pleural rind is a benign, scarred change in the area of the pleura. However, it cannot be differentiated with absolute certainty from pleural mesothelioma, a malignant tumor, on the basis of an X-ray. For this reason, checks should be carried out at the first diagnosis in order to rule out rapid growth that would indicate a malignant disease.
