title: Sandstorm appearance of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis incidentally detected in a young, asymptomatic male.
abstract: Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a rare chronic disease with paucity of symptoms in contrast to the imaging findings. We present a case of a 24-year-old Malay man having an incidental abnormal pre-employment chest radiograph of dense micronodular opacities giving the classical "sandstorm" appearance. High-resolution computed tomography of the lungs showed microcalcifications with subpleural cystic changes. Open lung biopsy showed calcospherites within the alveolar spaces. The radiological and histopathological findings were characteristic of PAM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Li Shyan
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ch'ng
authors.forename: Shaik Ismail
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Bux
authors.forename: Chong Kin
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Liam
authors.forename: Nazarina Abdul
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Choon Yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D002908:Chronic Disease; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Calcospherites; High resolution computed tomography; Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis
references.citation: Radiographics. 2011 Mar-Apr;31(2):585-90
references.pmid: 21415198
references.citation: Am J Hum Genet. 2006 Oct;79(4):650-6
references.pmid: 16960801
references.citation: Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis. 2004 Oct;21(3):173-81
references.pmid: 15554073
references.citation: Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2009 Sep;15(5):486-90
references.pmid: 19617834
references.citation: J Bras Pneumol. 2007 Sep-Oct;33(5):552-7
references.pmid: 18026653
references.citation: Pediatr Pulmonol. 1996 Jan;21(1):62-4
references.pmid: 8776269
references.citation: Thorax. 1985 Dec;40(12):952-3
references.pmid: 4095678
references.citation: J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1998 Mar-Apr;22(2):245-8
references.pmid: 9530388
references.citation: Eur J Radiol. 2005 Sep;55(3):452-60
references.pmid: 16129256
references.citation: Monaldi Arch Chest Dis. 2005 Mar;63(1):59-64
references.pmid: 16035566
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2002 Jul 4;347(1):69-70
references.pmid: 12097548