Hard Metal Lung Disease: A Case Report Using Transbronchial Cryobiopsy in the Diagnosis

Chiung-Hung Lin ； Chih-Hao Chang ； Jia-Shiuan Ju ； Tzu-Hsuan Chiu ； Pi-Hung Tung ； Shu-Min Lin

《胸腔醫學》 37卷2期 (2022/06) Pp. 114-119

摘要

Hard metal lung disease (HMLD) is a rare disease diagnosed pathologically by the presence of multinucleated giant cells in the alveoli with interstitial pneumonitis and centrilobular fibrosis. In the past, surgical lung biopsy and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) were the only means of obtaining a tissue specimen. Transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBC) is an emerging and excellent technique in the diagnosis of diffuse parenchymal lung disease, but it has never been used in the diagnosis of HMLD. We reported the case of a 41-year-old female turner who presented with progressive dyspnea on exertion for 3 years. Tissues from TBLB failed to yield a specific diagnosis, while those from TBC confirmed the diagnosis of HMLD. Cryobiopsy offers diagnostic advantages compared with conventional techniques and appears to be a useful diagnostic tool for diagnosing HMLD.

關鍵字

cryobiopsy ； hard metal lung disease ； bronchoscopy