Benign asbestos pleural effusion associated with pulmonary aspergilloma

A rare case of benign asbestos pleural effusion associated with aspergillom a is reported. A chest radiograph of a 75-year-old Japanese man who was adm itted with right chest pain showed a right pleural effusion and nodular sha dows in the right apex and left middle lung field. Thoracocentesis revealed an exudate with atypical mesothelial cells. An open lung biopsy showed asp ergilloma in the right S2 area and no evidence of malignancy. Many reactive mesothelial cells were found in the pleura, A quantitative asbestos digest ion study of the lung tissue biopsy showed high-grade asbestos exposure.