Ranke complex (tuberculosis)

Ranke complex is seen in 'healed' primary pulmonary tuberculosis and is a later manifestation of the Ghon complex. It consists of two components:

• a Ghon lesion that has undergone calcification
• an ipsilateral calcified mediastinal node

It is important to note that a Ranke complex is not specific (see below).

History and etymology

Karl Ernest Ranke (1870-1926) was a German physician who developed the (now outdated) hypothesis on the pathology of pulmonary tuberculosis, which became known as "Ranke's stages of tuberculosis" .

Differential diagnosis

It should be noted that the imaging findings are completely non-specific. Sequelae of other granulomatous infections, such as healed thoracic histoplasmosis, can have identical imaging findings .

More rarely, a calcified or ossified lung metastasis  with ipsilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (e.g. from metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma, osteosarcoma, or epithelial ovarian neoplasms ) could give a similar imaging appearance.