Menstruation in an unsual place: A case of thoracic endometriosis in Kampala, Uganda.

Rosemary Kusaba Byanyima
Department of Radiology , Makerere Medical School, P . O. Box 7072 Kampala, Uganda

ABSTRACT:
While pelvic endometriosis is relatively common, thoracic menstruation is rare. A report of what is believed to be the first case of thoracic endometriosis in Uganda is given. A 34 year old female was complaining of on and off chest pain mainly on the right side. Clinically she had signs of pleural effusion and 500 mls of altered blood were tapped from her right pleural space.

Worried about a possibility of a malignant process, an urgent chest CT scan was performed. A right posterior pleural mass and pleural effusion were found. A pleural biospy was taken and confirmed at histology as endometrial tissue. She did well on surgical excision and hormonal therapy .

This was a rare case of endometriosis which shows the usefulness of imaging in the patient work up.
African Health Sciences 2001 1(2):97-98