rss
J Clin Pathol 2003;56:866-867 doi:10.1136/jcp.56.11.866
  • Short report

Pulmonary tumour microembolism clinically mimicking alveolitis

  1. A W I Lo1,
  2. G M K Tse1,
  3. W C W Chu2,
  4. A B W Chan1
  1. 1Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China
  2. 2Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr A B W Chan
 Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China; amychancuhk.edu.hk
  • Accepted 15 May 2003

Abstract

A 56 year old man with previously unsuspected recurrence of squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus presented with dyspnoea. Bronchoscopy and computed tomography suggested bronchopneumonic changes with an infectious cause. He suffered a rapidly deteriorating course and died despite active treatment, including antibiotics and mechanical ventilation. Necropsy revealed a florid pulmonary tumour microembolism mimicking alveolitis. No bronchopneumonia was seen. The emboli arose from loosely attached tumour vegetations in the tricuspid valve. In a patient with known malignancy, tumour microembolism should be considered as an uncommon cause of rapid respiratory failure, refractory to antibiotic treatment.

Footnotes

    This Article

    1. Abstract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Responses

    1. Submit a response
    2. No responses published

    Register for free content

    The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

    Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.