Treatment
In many cases a pleural rind does not require treatment. However, especially at the initial diagnosis, the findings should be checked, for example by means of an X-ray or ultrasound examination, in order to rule out that it is not a pleural rind but a malignant cancer of the pleura. If the pleural rind causes complaints, for example in the form of shortness of breath, surgical removal may be considered. Surgical removal is the only causal therapy option.
Prognosis
The pleural rind is a benign scarred change in the area of the pleura. However, it cannot be distinguished with certainty from a pleural mesothelioma, a malignant tumor, on the basis of an X-ray image. Therefore, at the initial diagnosis, controls should be carried out to rule out rapid growth, which would indicate a malignant disease.
