Computed tomography findings of pathologically confirmed pulmonary parenchymal endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) in the localization of parenchymal pulmonary endometriosis and to correlate the CT findings with fiberoptic bronchoscopic and pathologic findings.

METHODS

A prospective study of 5 patients presenting with catamenial hemoptysis was conducted. The CT scans and fiberoptic bronchoscopy were performed twice during and 2 weeks after menstruation. After the localization of the presumed bleeding focus, surgical resection was performed.

RESULTS

The CT scans obtained during menstruation revealed a well-demarcated area of consolidation (n = 4) and ground-glass opacity (n = 5), whereas CT scans obtained after menstruation demonstrated ground-glass opacity (n = 4) or complete resolution of the previously noted lesion (n = 1). Fiberoptic bronchoscopy exhibited trails of blood clot at the orifice of the involved bronchi unilaterally (n = 4) or a thin bloody secretion in the bronchi bilaterally. Histopathologic examination of the resected specimens showed typical findings of pulmonary endometriosis.

CONCLUSION

Computed tomography scans during and after menstruation were useful for the precise preoperative localization of parenchymal pulmonary endometriosis.