title: Can chest high-resolution computed tomography findings diagnose pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was aimed at retrospectively reviewing high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings in patients with pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis in order to evaluate the frequency of tomographic findings and their distribution in the lung parenchyma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients (9 females and 4 males; age, 9 to 59 years; mean age, 34.5 years) were included in the present study. The HRCT images were independently evaluated by two observers whose decisions were made by consensus. The inclusion criterion was the presence of abnormalities typical of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis at HRCT, which precludes lung biopsy. However, in 6 cases lung biopsy was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ground-glass opacities and small parenchymal nodules were the predominant tomographic findings, present in 100% of cases, followed by small subpleural nodules (92.3%), subpleural cysts (84.6%), subpleural linear calcifications (69.2%), crazy-paving pattern (69.2%), fissure nodularity (53.8%), calcification along interlobular septa (46.2%) and dense consolidation (46.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As regards distribution of the lesions, there was preferential involvement of the lower third of the lungs. No predominance of distribution in axial and anteroposterior directions was observed.
authors.affiliation: Fellow PhD degree, Program of Post-graduation in Radiology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávia Angélica Ferreira
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.affiliation: PhD, Professor, Program of Post-graduation in Radiology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Physician at the Service of Radiology, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and Instituto D'Or de Pesquisa e Educação, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosana Souza
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: PhD, Professor, Program of Post-graduation in Radiology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Physician at the Service of Radiology, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Miriam Menna
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Barreto
authors.affiliation: PhD, Associate Professor of Radiology, Department of Medical Practice, Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dante Luiz
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Escuissato
authors.affiliation: PhDs, Associate Professors, Department of Medicine and Diagnostic Support, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cesar Augusto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Araujo Neto
authors.affiliation: PhDs, Associate Professors, Department of Medicine and Diagnostic Support, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jorge Luiz Pereira E
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: MD, Radiology Department, Facultad de Medicina Clinica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Claudio S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: PhD, Associate Professor of Imaging Diagnosis, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hochhegger
authors.affiliation: PhD, Professor, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto (Famerp), São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Arthur Soares
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: PhD, Professor, Program of Post-graduation in Radiology at Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Professor of Medical Practice, Faculdade de Medicina de Petrópolis, Petrópolis, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gláucia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanetti
authors.affiliation: PhD, Full Professor Emeritus, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niterói, RJ, Associate Professor, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchiori
keywords: High-resolution computed tomography; Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis; Pulmonary calcifications