Discussion
Diagnosis With Brief Discussion
- Diagnosis
- Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis
- Radiologic Findings
- Posteroanterior chest radiograph (Fig. a) shows bilateral reticular areas of increased opacity, which occur predominantly in the lower zones. High-resolution CT scans (Fig. b-d) show bilateral areas of ground-glass attenuation with interlobular septal and intralobular interstitial thickenings. VATS biopsy was done. Histologically, alveoli are filled with finely granular eosinophilic material that stains with periodic acid-Schiff.
- Brief Review
- Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis can be understood as a syndrome of altered surfactant homeostasis, leading to a pathologic accumulation of surfactant (1). Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is most common in adults between 20 and 50 years of age, although it has been reported in a wide range of ages. The clinical presentation of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is nonspecific. Patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis have an insidious onset of symptoms that typically includes dyspnea, fatigue, and nonproductive cough, but patients with the condition can be asymptomatic (2). Classic radiographic finding is bilateral, symmetric alveolar consolidation or ground-glass opacity, particularly in a perihilar or hilar distribution resembling pulmonary edema. Occasionally, involvement is unilateral. Interstitial disease can also be seen, especially in longstanding cases. High-resolution CT typically shows diffuse ground-glass attenuation with superimposed intra- and interlobular septal thickening, often in polygonal shapes representing the secondary pulmonary lobule. Involvement could be central or peripheral. The diagnosis is established with bronchoalveolar lavage (3, 4).
- References
- 1. Claypool WD, Rogers RM, Matuschak GM. Update on the clinical diagnosis, management, and pathogenesis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (phospholipidosis). Chest 1984; 85:550 -558
2. Wang BM, Stern EJ, Schmidt RA, Pierson DJ. Diagnosing pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: a review and an update. Chest 1997; 111:460-466.
3. Holbert JM, Costello P, Li W, Hoffman RM, Rogers RM. CT features of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2001; 176:1287-1294.
4. Rossi SE, Erasmus JJ, Volpacchio M, Franquet T, Castiglioni T, McAdams HP. "Crazy-paving" pattern at thin-section CT of the lungs: radiologic-pathologic overview. Radiographics 2003; 23:1509-1519.
- Keywords
- Lung, Metabolic and storage lung disesae,