Pulmonary Alveolar Microlithiasis: About Two Cases
N. Zaghba
Department of Respiratory Diseases, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.
H. Harraz
Department of Respiratory Diseases, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.
K. Chaanoun *
Department of Respiratory Diseases, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.
H. Benjelloun
Department of Respiratory Diseases, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.
N. Yassine
Department of Respiratory Diseases, CHU Ibn Rochd, Casablanca, Morocco.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Alveolar microlithiasis (AML) is a rare condition characterized by the accumulation of calcium concretions in the pulmonary alveolar lumen. We report two cases of AML, suspected on chest radiography and confirmed by chest CT scan with pathognomonic appearance and transbronchial lung biopsy. ALM is often asymptomatic in contrast to the importance of the characteristic radiological lesions. The etiology of this pathology is unknown, but a genetic origin with the autosomal recessive transmission is suspected with mutation of the SLC34A2 gene.
Keywords: Alveolar microlithiasis, calcospheritis, imaging, pulmonary calcifications, SLC34A2 gene