Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis : a commonly misdiagnosed rare entity

Abstract EN

: Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is an uncommon entity which can pose a diagnostic challenge.

We report a 45-year-old female who was referred to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, India, in 2017 with a two-year history of progressively worsening dyspnoea and dry coughing.

She had been previously diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis elsewhere and prescribed antitubercular therapy; however, there was little improvement in her symptoms.

Following referral, the patient was diagnosed with PAM based on high-resolution computed tomography findings and the abundance of lamellar microliths in a bronchoalveolar lavage sample.

She was subsequently managed symptomatically and enrolled in a rehabilitation programme.