A Rare Case of Asymptomatic Diffuse Pulmonary Ossification Detected during a Routine Health Examination

Yoshiko Mizushina; Masashi Bando; Tatsuya Hosono; Naoko Mato; Takakiyo Nakaya; Hideaki Yamasawa; Mitsugu Hironaka; Akira Tanaka; Yukihiko Sugiyama

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.51.7520

CASE REPORTS

A Rare Case of Asymptomatic Diffuse Pulmonary Ossification Detected during a Routine Health Examination

Yoshiko Mizushina, Masashi Bando, Tatsuya Hosono, Naoko Mato, Takakiyo Nakaya, Hideaki Yamasawa, Mitsugu Hironaka, Akira Tanaka, Yukihiko Sugiyama

Author information

Yoshiko Mizushina
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Japan
Masashi Bando
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Japan
Tatsuya Hosono
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Japan
Naoko Mato
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Japan
Takakiyo Nakaya
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Japan
Hideaki Yamasawa
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Japan
Mitsugu Hironaka
Division of Pathology, Jichi Medical University, Japan
Akira Tanaka
Division of Pathology, Jichi Medical University, Japan
Yukihiko Sugiyama
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Japan

Keywords: pulmonary ossification, ectopic bone formation

JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2012 Volume 51 Issue 20 Pages 2923-2927

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.51.7520

Details

Abstract

A 26-year-old man presented at our hospital in 2008 to undergo detailed investigations as part of a routine health examination. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed linear and reticular opacities with, in part, diffuse calcification in the lung fields bilaterally. A surgical lung biopsy was performed and the histological findings were compatible with a diagnosis of diffuse pulmonary ossification (DPO) of the dendriform type. DPO usually occurs as a secondary disease. As the histological changes in interstitial fibrosis were minimal rather than diffuse and not significant enough to be regarded as interstitial pneumonia, we considered this to be an idiopathic case. However, the findings appear to suggest that inflammation and fibrosis were associated with ossification.

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