Endobronchial Hamartoma Subtotally Occluding the Right Main Bronchus and Mimicking Bronchial Carcinoid Tumor

Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 Apr;95(15):e3369. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000003369.

Abstract

Hamartomas are very rarely identified as an endobronchial lesion. Herein, we describe a peculiar case of a 55-year-old woman with persistent cough and increasing dyspnea and radiological detection of a solid lesion subtotally occluding the main right bronchus. Despite the radiological and radiometabolic (18-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computer tomography scan) features were highly suspected for bronchial carcinoid, the definitive diagnosis after endoscopic removal was indicative of an endobronchial hamartoma. When considering differential diagnosis of an endobronchial lesion, the physicians should take firmly in mind such rare entity and, accordingly, bronchoscopy and bronchoscopic biopsy should be done as first step in management of all cases presenting with endobronchial lesions.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bronchial Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Bronchial Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Hamartoma / diagnosis*
  • Hamartoma / pathology
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged