Multiple peripheral pulmonary nodules preceding rheumatoid arthritis.

The case of a young woman is reported, presenting multiple peripheral lung nodules, preceding the onset of classical rheumatoid arthritis 3 months later. The nodules observed seemed to be of pleural origin because they all had contact with the pleura which was partly thickened as demonstrated by computer-assisted tomography. The histopathology of material obtained by an open-lung biopsy revealed rheumatoid necrobiotic nodules. Although very rare, rheumatoid arthritis should be considered as a differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules of unknown origin.