Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near-complete whiteout on chest imaging
Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare idiopathic disease characterized by accumulated calcium and phosphate crystals within the alveoli. Although PAM can be suspected in patients with clinical-radiological dissociation and characteristic imaging findings on chest computed tomography, def...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Radiology Case Reports |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043325002729 |
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| author | Nam Nguyen-Thanh, MD Ngoc Duong-Minh, MD Khoa Nguyen-Dang, MD Thong Pham-Quang, MD Nam Vu-Hoai, MD, PhD Vu Le-Thuong, MD, PhD |
| author_facet | Nam Nguyen-Thanh, MD Ngoc Duong-Minh, MD Khoa Nguyen-Dang, MD Thong Pham-Quang, MD Nam Vu-Hoai, MD, PhD Vu Le-Thuong, MD, PhD |
| author_sort | Nam Nguyen-Thanh, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare idiopathic disease characterized by accumulated calcium and phosphate crystals within the alveoli. Although PAM can be suspected in patients with clinical-radiological dissociation and characteristic imaging findings on chest computed tomography, definitive diagnosis requires a family history of PAM, identification of SLC34A2 gene mutations, or lung biopsy to exclude differential diagnoses. We report a case of a 66-year-old female incidentally found to have diffuse pulmonary calcifications. The diagnosis was confirmed through typical imaging features, transbronchial lung biopsy, and a family history of PAM. This case highlights the hallmark imaging characteristics of PAM and the critical role of transbronchial lung biopsy in establishing a definitive diagnosis. As PAM is a rare disease with no established consensus on treatment, except for lung transplantation, symptomatic management remains a significant challenge. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0f630090838d4ffc8f586b3bbd248b5d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1930-0433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Radiology Case Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-0f630090838d4ffc8f586b3bbd248b5d2025-08-20T03:49:42ZengElsevierRadiology Case Reports1930-04332025-07-012073167317010.1016/j.radcr.2025.03.065Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near-complete whiteout on chest imagingNam Nguyen-Thanh, MD0Ngoc Duong-Minh, MD1Khoa Nguyen-Dang, MD2Thong Pham-Quang, MD3Nam Vu-Hoai, MD, PhD4Vu Le-Thuong, MD, PhD5Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamDepartment of Pathology, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Corresponding author.Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Respiratory Department, University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamPulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare idiopathic disease characterized by accumulated calcium and phosphate crystals within the alveoli. Although PAM can be suspected in patients with clinical-radiological dissociation and characteristic imaging findings on chest computed tomography, definitive diagnosis requires a family history of PAM, identification of SLC34A2 gene mutations, or lung biopsy to exclude differential diagnoses. We report a case of a 66-year-old female incidentally found to have diffuse pulmonary calcifications. The diagnosis was confirmed through typical imaging features, transbronchial lung biopsy, and a family history of PAM. This case highlights the hallmark imaging characteristics of PAM and the critical role of transbronchial lung biopsy in establishing a definitive diagnosis. As PAM is a rare disease with no established consensus on treatment, except for lung transplantation, symptomatic management remains a significant challenge.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043325002729Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasisTransbronchial lung biopsySLC34A2Clinical-radiological dissociation |
| spellingShingle | Nam Nguyen-Thanh, MD Ngoc Duong-Minh, MD Khoa Nguyen-Dang, MD Thong Pham-Quang, MD Nam Vu-Hoai, MD, PhD Vu Le-Thuong, MD, PhD Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near-complete whiteout on chest imaging Radiology Case Reports Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis Transbronchial lung biopsy SLC34A2 Clinical-radiological dissociation |
| title | Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near-complete whiteout on chest imaging |
| title_full | Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near-complete whiteout on chest imaging |
| title_fullStr | Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near-complete whiteout on chest imaging |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near-complete whiteout on chest imaging |
| title_short | Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near-complete whiteout on chest imaging |
| title_sort | pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with minimal symptoms and near complete whiteout on chest imaging |
| topic | Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis Transbronchial lung biopsy SLC34A2 Clinical-radiological dissociation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043325002729 |
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