Synonyms
Chemodectoma; Minute meningothelial-like nodule
Definition
Minute meningothelial-like bodies (MMLB) are small nests of epithelioid cells commonly identified incidentally in pulmonary specimens or at autopsy.
Clinical Features
Incidence
MMLBs are common, with a reported incidence, in cancer resection specimens, of 1.1–9.5%. With extensively sampled lung surgical biopsy specimens, about 14% contain MMLBs; and in extensively sampled lobectomy specimens, almost half have contained MMLBs.
Age
Most MMLB’s occur in patients older than 40 years.
Sex
There is no sex predilection.
Site
MMLBs occur throughout the lung parenchyma in both lobes; with approximately one-third reported to be subpleural.
Treatment
Most MMLBs are incidental surgical excision or biopsy findings for which no additional treatment is necessary.
Outcome
Most MMLBs are incidental findings of no clinical significance; however, rarely they are numerous enough to cause shortness of breath and restrictive lung disease...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References and Further Readings
Kraushaar, G., Ajlan, A. M., English, J. C., & Muller, N. L. (2010). Minute pulmonary meningothelial-like nodules: A case of incidentally detected diffuse cystic micronodules on thin-section computed tomography. Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, 34(5), 780–782.
Matsuoka, T., Uematsu, H., Iwakiri, S., & Itoi, K. (2012). Minute pulmonary meningothelial-like nodules (MPMNs) incidentally detected at surgical biopsy for ground-glass opacity (GGO). Kyobu Geka, 65(12), 1063–1066.
Mukhopadhyay, S., El-Zammer, O. A., & Katzenstein, A.-L. A. (2009). Pulmonary meningothelial-like nodules: New insights into a common but poorly understood entity. American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 33(4), 487–495.
Suster, S., & Moran, C. A. (2007). Diffuse pulmonary meningotheliomatosis. American Journal of Surgical Pathology, 31(4), 624–631.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this entry
Cite this entry
Allen, T.C. (2018). Meningothelial-Like Bodies, Pleural. In: Allen, T.C., Suster, S. (eds) Pathology of the Pleura and Mediastinum. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_370
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-66796-6_370
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-66795-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-66796-6
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine