A rare cause of misdiagnosis in chest X-ray.

Abstract

Chest X-ray is a usual tool for family physicians; however, unexpected findings in chest X-ray are a frequent challenge. We present a rare case of pulmonary hilar nodule misdiagnosis in a chest X-ray. An 84-year-old woman was sent with a diagnosis of a right pulmonary hilum nodule. She had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; so in a chest X-ray, her family physician discovered a "nodule" in her right lung hilum. Her physical exam was not relevant. In our hospital, a thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan verified the mass in the right pulmonary hilum; nevertheless, in a coronal CT scan, the "hilum lump" was the tortuous descending aorta that created an angle. This case illustrates how anatomical changes associated with vascular aging may cause this exceptional pitfall in chest X-ray.