Pneumonia Mimicking Lung Tumor

Abstract

Pneumonia can mimic the radiological appearance of a lung tumour, often posing a diagnostic challenge in clinical practice. We report the case of a 20-year-old male who presented with haemoptysis for 3 days, a productive cough with yellowish sputum for 1 week, stabbing right-sided chest pain radiating to the back, and an intermittent fever. Physical examination revealed bronchial breath sounds and rhonchi over the right lung, with a temperature of 38°C and an oxygen saturation of 94%. Laboratory examination showed leukocytosis (14,500/µL). Chest radiography revealed homogeneous consolidation with infiltrates in the right mid-lung field, a radiological appearance that can mimic a pulmonary mass or tumour. The patient was treated with a combination of oral cefixime and azithromycin for 5 days. At follow-up two weeks later, the clinical symptoms had completely resolved, and repeat chest radiography demonstrated complete resolution of the consolidation and infiltrates. This case illustrates that acute infectious pneumonia can present with radiological features mimicking a lung tumour, and that a prompt clinical and radiological response to empirical antibiotic therapy is key to establishing the differential diagnosis, thereby avoiding unnecessary invasive procedures.