INTRODUCTION: Bronchial carcinoid tumors seldom occur in children, sometimes mistaken for a minor disease and diagnosed slowly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report on a patient who diagnose tumors slowly because confused with asthma. RESULTS: This case describes a 14-year-old boy, presenting with asthma-like symptoms throughout 3 years. He was treated as asthma but wax and wane. Chest x-ray showed an hyperlucent left lung, so we rechecked high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for unilateral hyperinflation diseases diagnosis. It was found 1×1cm nodule in left main bronchus. We did bronchoscopy and discovered a round mass in the left bronchus, 2∼3cm away from carina. In the biopsy, it was bronchial carcinoid tumor, so we resected tumor. DISCUSSION: Because symptoms of bronchial carcinoid tumors are various, it can often be misdiagnosed firstly. It is confused with asthma, pneumonia and foreign body. An additional examination were necessary when respiratory symptoms persist.
Adolescent* ; Asthma* ; Biopsy ; Bronchi ; Bronchoscopy ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Foreign Bodies ; Humans ; Lung ; Male* ; Pneumonia ; Thorax