“Cell blocking” the parasitic imposter: In a rare case of isolated pulmonary cysticercosis

• Published in: Diagnostic cytopathology Vol. 52; no. 7; pp. E168 - E171
• Main Authors: Singh, Kush Kumar, Kochhar, Abhilasha, Bansal, Chakshu, Gupta, Latika, Malhotra, Samir
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.07.2024; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult; cell block; Cysticercosis - diagnosis; Cysticercosis - pathology; Humans; isolated pulmonary cysticercosis; Lung - parasitology; Lung - pathology; lung cyst; Lung Diseases, Parasitic - diagnosis; Lung Diseases, Parasitic - parasitology; Lung Diseases, Parasitic - pathology; Male; pleural effusion; Pleural Effusion - parasitology; Pleural Effusion - pathology; isolated pulmonary cysticercosis; pleural effusion; cell block; lung cyst
• ISSN: 8755-1039; 1097-0339; 1097-0339
• DOI: 10.1002/dc.25321

Isolated pulmonary cysticercosis is a rare manifestation of human cysticercosis which mainly affects central nervous system, skeletal muscles, eyes and subcutaneous tissues. Pulmonary involvement is usually a part of disseminated disease and mainly presents as bilateral pulmonary nodules. We report a rare case of isolated pulmonary cysticercosis presenting as lung cyst with pleural effusion. The diagnosis was made on pleural fluid cytology and cell block preparation. Herein we wish to recapitulate the importance of cell block as a diagnostic aid for parasitic infections, where morphological features and architectural patterns are as clearly discernable as in histopathology.