Abstract: Objective To investigate the CT scan in the diagnosis of pleural tuberculoma.  Methods CT images of 35 patients with pleural tuberculoma were analyzed retrospectively, including contrast-enhanced CT scan in 16 cases in our hosptial from Nov. 2002 to Oct. 2009The final diagnosis for all patients were confirmed by pathology, cytologic examination and long term follow-up. There were 53 lesions found in 35 cases with single pleural tuberculoma in 26 cases and multiple pleural tuberculomas in 9 case.  Results The CT characteristics of pleural tuberculoma were mass or nodular image findings bulging toward the lung. The CT scan showed papillary nodules in 13 cases, semicircular in 15 cases, round-like in 21 cases, oval in 2 cases, flat focus in 1 case and irregular in 1 case. There were 39 foci with homogeneous intensity, 13 foci with heterogeneous intensity and 1 focus with stripes calcifications. Of 26 foci wih contrast-ehanced scan, 8 foci were not obvious enhanced, 15 foci were marginal enhanced and 3 were obvious homogeneous enhanced.  Conclusion CT scan is a clinical valuable tool in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of pleural tuberculoma.

Key words: tuberculosis, pleural/radiography, tuberculoma/ radiography, tomography, x-ray computed