Consolidative Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma Presenting as Pneumonia, and This Led to a Late Diagnosis due to the Improvement after Antibiotic Therapy.
10.4046/trd.2008.65.2.147
- Author:
Ina JEONG
1
;
Eun Young HEO
;
Jae Seok LEE
;
Ho Il YOON
;
Jae Ho LEE
;
Choon Taek LEE
;
Young Ae KANG
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Lung Institute of Medical Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea. mdkang@medi
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma;
Consolidation;
Non-resolving pneumonia
- MeSH:
Adenocarcinoma;
Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar;
Comorbidity;
Delayed Diagnosis;
Pneumonia;
Pneumonia, Bacterial
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
2008;65(2):147-151
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Non-resolving or slowly resolving pulmonary infiltrates in spite of administering adequate antimicrobial therapy are a clinical diagnostic challenge for physicians. The rate of radiographic resolution varies with the patients' age, the underlying comorbidities, the extent of radiographic involvement, the functional status and the causal pathogens. It is important to differentiate non-resolving or slowly resolving bacterial pneumonia from other uncommon infectious pneumonias or malignancies that require invasive diagnostic techniques to confirm the diagnosis. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma can present with various clinical and radiographic features. Unfortunately, the radiographic similarity of consolidative BAC to pneumonia often leads to an incorrect diagnosis of pneumonia and possibly significant delays in obtaining appropriate diagnostic studies. We describe here a case of a mixed adenocarcinoma and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma that was initially diagnosed as pneumonia due to the consolidation pattern on the radiography and the patient's initial improvement with antibiotic treatment.
