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A 22-year-old man was referred to us for evaluation of an asymptomatic mass in the left upper lung that had been detected on chest radiography (Panel A, arrow) performed during a physical screening before the start of military service. He was a nonsmoker, had no pulmonary symptoms, and was otherwise well. Nonenhanced computed tomography (CT) of the chest revealed a well-defined mass, 3 cm in diameter, in the left upper lobe, containing multiple calcifications (Panel B, arrow). A magnified (wide-window) image of the mass showed calcifications of a linear, nodular, irregular shape, known as "popcorn" calcifications. The CT findings were highly suggestive of pulmonary chondroid hamartoma. Pathological examination of tissue obtained by means of percutaneous biopsy revealed cartilage and spindle-cell mesenchymal stroma, confirming the diagnosis. Two years later, the patient remains well, and the tumor is unchanged. Pulmonary hamartoma is a benign lung tumor that should be considered when an incidental solitary pulmonary nodule is identified. Popcorn calcifications within a well-circumscribed pulmonary nodule are highly suggestive of pulmonary chondroid hamartoma.
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