CLINICAL ANALYSIS OF 19 PATIENTS WITH PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA

Objective: To summarize the experience in the diagnosis of mesothelioma. Methods: Analyzing the clinical data of 19 patients with pleural mesothelio'ma, including age, history of exposure to asbestos, clinical manifestations, imaging and laboratory examinations and metastases. Results: None of the 19 patients had a history of exposure to asbestos. Eight cases (42.1%) had no obvious thoracodynia, 9 cases (47.4%) had pleural effusion limited to the right chest, and in 2 cases (10.5%) the brachialis plexus was involved, and in 1 case (5.3%) malignant mesothelial cells were detected in the pleural effusion. Pleural thickening or nodules were found in 13 cases on CT and in 9 cases by B ultrasonographic examination. Conclusion: Exposure to asbestos is not the only cause of pleural mesothelioma. Chest pain is not always associated with pleural mesothelioma. CT and B ultrasonography are a help in the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma.