Unilateral metastatic pulmonary calcification in context of ipsilateral central pulmonary embolism

Abstract

We report a case of unilateral left metastatic pulmonary calcification (MPC) in a 30-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus, acute nephritis, and left main pulmonary artery pulmonary embolism. Unilateral MPC is rare and is mostly seen in the context of ipsilateral pulmonary embolism. The proposed mechanism is the promotion of calcium salts precipitation by focal alkalosis resulting from reduced blood flow to the lung affected by the pulmonary arterial obstruction.

Keywords

• Unilateral metastatic pulmonary calcification
• Pulmonary embolism