AccScience Publishing / GTM / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/gtm.4104
CASE SERIES

Differential diagnosis between rheumatoid nodules and fibrocaseous tubercles in the lung: A case series

Miklós Bély1* Ágnes Apáthy2
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1 Department of Pathology, Hospital of the Order of the Brothers of St. John of God, Budapest, Hungary
2 Department of Rheumatology, St. Margaret Clinic, Budapest, Hungary
Global Translational Medicine 2024, 3(3), 4104 https://doi.org/10.36922/gtm.4104
Submitted: 1 July 2024 | Accepted: 31 August 2024 | Published: 20 September 2024
© 2024 by the Author (s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

The histological similarities between rheumatoid nodules and post-primary fibrocaseous tubercles in the lung may present a significant challenge in differential diagnosis. Differential diagnosis of fibrocaseous tubercles and rheumatoid nodules is crucial in clinical practice, particularly due to the high risk of co-existing fibrocaseous tuberculosis in rheumatoid arthritis. This condition increases the likelihood of military dissemination and mortality, especially in elderly patients, with elderly women being at the greatest risk. This case series aims to differentiate these two pathological entities based on the clinical histories and histological analyses of surgical specimens from two patients. The main histological marker for RhNod is the presence of vascular remnants within the fibrinoid necrotic area, reflecting the vascular origin of RhNods. Additional supporting evidence for the rheumatoid nature of the process includes the presence of inflamed blood vessels elsewhere in the lung (such as non-specific, fibrinoid necrotic, and/or granulomatous autoimmune vasculitis), as well as the potential presence of co-existent interstitial pneumonitis, with or without pleuritis. In contrast, the necrotic tuberculous process is characterized by coalescent necrosis that does not respect anatomical borders and lacks structural remnants of lung tissue, which is a hallmark of tuberculosis pathology.

Keywords
Lung
Rheumatoid nodule
Fibrocaseous tubercle
Differential diagnosis
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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