April 2025 Medical Image of the Month: An Unfortunate Case of Mimicry

By: Ali A, Abdulla M

Abstract: No abstract available. Manuscript truncated after 150 words. A 63-year-old African American woman with a 30-pack-year smoking history (quit 12 years prior) presented to the emergency room with a persistent cough, throat pain, significant weight loss (15 pounds over 6 months), exertional dyspnea, hoarseness, and fatigue. She denied dysphagia or GERD symptoms and had no other significant medical history. Over four months, she received three courses of antibiotics for presumed lobar pneumonia based on chest X-ray findings.  There was no significant clinical improvement, prompting her current visit to the ED.  The patient appeared ill and in discomfort. Her vital signs included a blood pressure of 108/73 mmHg (right arm, lying), pulse of 96 bpm, temperature of 99.3 °F (37.4 °C, oral), respiratory rate of 18 breaths/min, and SpO₂ of 91% on room air. Her BMI was 27 kg/m². Physical examination revealed a prominent right supraclavicular lymph node and diminished air entry at the right lung base with a …

URL: https://www.swjpcc.com/imaging/2025/4/2/april-2025-medical-image-of-the-month-an-unfortunate-case-of.html