Embolization of ruptured hepatic hydatid cyst to pulmonary artery in an elderly patient: Multidetector computed tomography findings

Abstract

Pulmonary embolism due to hydatid disease is an unusual condition resulting from the rupture of a hydatic heart cyst or the opening of liver hydatidosis into the venous circulation. A 78-year old male patient complaining of dyspnea, cough and severe chest pain was admitted to our emergency department. A multidetector computed tomography of the chest revealed the presence of multiple nodules in both lungs especially in left and multiple hypodense filling defect in left main pulmonary artery and its branches. In addition, coronal reformatted multidetector computed tomography images also showed two hypodense cystic parenchymal masses on the left lobe of the liver with a cystic embolus in the right atrium. Pulmonary embolism should be kept in mind in patients who have hepatic hydatidosis if suddenly chest pain and dyspnoea occurs, especially in regions where hydatidosis is endemic.