Image Diagnosis: Bronchial Anthracofibrosis—A Bronchoscopic Diagnosis

Middle Lobe Syndrome Associated with Bronchial Anthracofibrosis

“…Bronchial anthracofibrosis is observed among nonsmoking elderly women from developing countries who have exposure to biomass fuel smoke in poorly ventilated conditions. Most patients are often misdiagnosed with COPD without undergoing further workup to exclude bronchial anthracofibrosis [1].…”

“…Endobronchial discoloration with luminal narrowing was first described in 1951 by AbrahamCohen when he reported middle lobe narrowing in eight female patients. Six of 8 patients had anthracotic pigmentation in the right middle lobe due to perforated tuberculous lymph nodes [1]. Chung coined the term "anthracofibrosis" in 1998.…”