Tumeurs bénignes bronchopulmonaires

Abstract

Benign bronchopulmonary tumours are uncommon but various. In 1999, the World Health Organisation proposed a new classification of these tumours, based on histological criteria and tumour location. New imaging methods improve morphologic (High resolution multislice CT, MRI) and dynamic (18 FDG PET, contrast-enhanced CT and MRI) evaluation of pulmonary nodules. Some benign pulmonary tumours (such as lipomas, and the harmatoma which is the most frequent) show enough specific findings to avoid invasive diagnostic procedures. However, radiological findings of other benign tumours are non specific. Moreover, small nodules and malignant tumours acting like benign lesions (carcinoid tumours, adenocarcinomas) are hardly classifiable. In all these cases, histological analysis is needed. Even if needle aspiration or percutaneous biopsy is negative, diagnostic should be completed by surgical resection.