Cement embolism confused with involvement of tuberculosis on plain graph

Abstract

Although percutaneous vertebroplasty was first used in the treatment of vertebral hemangiomas, in time, it took part in the treatment of painful osteoporotic and pathological vertebral fractures. Cement embolism is a rare complication of vertebroplasty and usually remains asymptomatic; however, sometimes it may lead to fatal results. In this article, we report a 47-year-old female patient of cement embolism diagnosed by thorax computed tomography that was confused with involvement of tuberculosis due to incidentally detected high-density pulmonary opacities on plain graph. We also discussed other pathologies which should be considered in differential diagnosis when pulmonary opacities are identified.