LAUSR

We describe the case of a 59-year-old man, active smoker, who presented with cough and shortness of breath. The patient had worked as a shipbuilder for the naval industry for 15 years. A chest radiograph showed multiple calcifications consistent with pleural plaques (PP) as well as a pseudonodular lung opacity in the left lower lobe (LLL). A thoracic computed tomography (CT) showed the presence of multiple bilateral calcified PPs and an indeterminate parenchymal opacity in the LLL, the latter consistent with either a true lung neoplasm or a round atelectasis (RA). A bronchoscopy (bronchial brushing) did not show cancer cells. A whole-body 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT showed lack of metabolic activity by the pulmonary opacity in the LLL (Fig. 1), suggesting a benign nature (the diagnosis of RA was tentatively made). Given the absence of FDG avidity, the decision was made to follow-up the LLL opacity, confirming its radiological stability. Both PPs and RAs represent benign manifestations associated with an asbestos exposure. The former are considered the most common imaging finding in subjects exposed to asbestos, (and actually represent a marker of asbestos exposure), whereas the latter constitute a particular subtype of peripheral pulmonary collapse or atelectasis that is inextricably linked to asbestos-related benign pleural disease. Both findings (PPs and RAs) may be asymptomatic, but, unlike PPs, RAs may not be radiologically distinguishable from lung cancer (Fig. 2), which is the most common thoracic