Endobronchial tuberculosis mimicking lung cancer in elderly patients.
We report four elderly patients with cough who were referred with the presumptive diagnosis of bronchial carcinoma based on chest X-ray and the macroscopic view on fibreoptic bronchoscopy, but whose final diagnosis was endobronchial tuberculosis. Chest X-ray showed atypical pulmonary infiltrates in three patients, but was normal in one. Bronchoscopic examination revealed ulcerative and/or stenotic lesions. Endobronchial tuberculosis should be considered in differential diagnosis, especially in the elderly.
Van den Brande
P
P
Division of Geriatric Medicine, St. Norbertus Hospital Duffel, Leuven, Belgium.
Lambrechts
M
M
Tack
J
J
Demedts
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging