title: Treatment and follow-up of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis with disodium editronate: radiological demonstration.
abstract: A 9-year-old girl with pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis is presented. She was asymptomatic except for failure to thrive. Plain chest radiographs on admission showed sand-like opacities with calcific densities throughout both lung fields, predominantly in the lower zones. A black pleural line was also seen between the ribs and lung parenchyma. High-resolution CT (HRCT) revealed diffuse ground-glass opacities throughout both lungs, micronodular densities, interlobular septal thickening, linear calcifications along the pleura and a few scattered subpleural cysts. Disodium editronate, which is known to inhibit the microcrystal growth of hydroxyapatite, was started at 10 mg/kg per day orally. After 1 year of therapy, considerable regression of the calcific densities was detected on chest radiographs and HRCT scans.
authors.affiliation: Yilmaz Colpan 3 sokak 26/2, Oran Sehri, Ankara, Turkey. uozcelik@gen.hun.edu.tr
authors.forename: Uğur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ozçelik
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gülsün
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Göçmen
authors.forename: Macit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ariyürek
authors.forename: Nural
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiper
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anadol
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cobanoğlu
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D012968:Etidronic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005183:Failure to Thrive / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020347:Lithiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D012968:Etidronic Acid