Solitary pulmonary nodule due to Mycobacterium intracellulare: the first case in Korea.
Here, we describe a case of a solitary pulmonary nodule due to Mycobacterium intracellulare infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Korea. A 45-year- old female, exhibiting no respiratory symptoms, was admitted to our hospital due to the appearance of a solitary pulmonary nodule on a chest radiograph. Computed tomography revealed a 2.5 cm nodule with an irregular shape and some marginal spiculation in the right upper lobe. Positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose imaging revealed positive tumor uptake (maximum standardized uptake value=8.8). Bronchoscopy yielded no specific histological findings and no bacteriological findings. Percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsy revealed epithelioid granuloma but no acid-fast bacilli were detected. The patient received isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide for the treatment of "tuberculoma". Five weeks after the patient was admitted, numerous mycobacterial colonies were detected on a bronchial washing fluid culture. These colonies were subsequently identified as Mycobacterium intracellulare. A final diagnosis of M. intracellulare pulmonary disease was made, and the patient's treatment regimen was changed to a combination therapy consisting of clarithromycin, rifampin, and ethambutol.
Kwon
Yong Soo
YS
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Ilwon-dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea.
Koh
Won-Jung
WJ
Chung
Man Pyo
MP
Kwon
O Jung
OJ
Lee
Nam Yong
NY
Cho
Eun Yoon
EY
Han
Joungho
J
Kim
Tae Sung
TS
Lee
Kyung Soo
KS
Kim
Byung-Tae
BT
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008875:Middle Aged; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003074:Solitary Pulmonary Nodule / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*