Bilateral Diffuse Nodular Pulmonary Ossification Mimicking Metastatic Disease in a Patient with Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Pulmonary ossification (PO) is a rare finding, characterized by mature bone formation in the lung parenchyma. We report a 20-year-old female patient diagnosed with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) and bilateral diffuse nodular PO. The patient presented with a unifocal left liver mass and multiple bilateral pulmonary lesions, which were treated as metastatic disease. The patient received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by left hepatectomy, and bilateral staged thoracotomies for clearance of the pulmonary disease. The histology of the pulmonary nodules demonstrated nodular type PO. We present the history, the course of treatment, imaging, and histologic findings of this rare disease process that could mimic metastatic pulmonary disease.

Automated summary

Pulmonary ossification is a rare condition characterized by mature bone formation in the lung parenchyma. This report presents a case of a 20-year-old female patient with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma and bilateral diffuse nodular pulmonary ossification, who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and staged thoracotomies for treatment. Histology showed nodular type pulmonary ossification, highlighting the importance of recognizing this rare disease process.