Fibrosing pleuritis

Fibrosing pleuritis, also fibrous pleurisy and fibrous pleuritis‎, is an uncommon benign condition that mimics malignant mesothelioma.

It may be referred to as cryptogenic bilateral fibrosing pleuritis, if it is bilateral.

General

• Benign.
• No asbestos exposure.

Clinical:

• Pleural thickening on imaging.
• Pleural effusion.

Gross

• Pleural thickening associated with a pleural effusion.

Microscopic

Features:^{[citation needed]}

• Fibrosis.
  • Spindle cells.
  • Moderate cellularity.
• No necrosis.
• Inflammation - lymphocytes.

DDx:

• Mesothelioma, desmoplastic.
• Pleural plaques.

IHC

• p53 -ve/+ve.
  • More common in mesothelioma.

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Pleura, Left Lung, Biopsy:
- Fibrous pleuritis/pleural plaque (fibrous tissue with mild chronic inflammation 
  and calcifications).
- NEGATIVE for evidence of malignancy.

See also

• Medical lung diseases.