Pulmonary adenocarcinoma mimicking rheumatoid lung and delaying diagnosis for 8 months

Abstract

The clinical and radiological findings of adenocarcinoma and rheumatoid lung disease are non-specific and similar. The final diagnosis should be confirmed by histopathology. We present an adenocarcinoma of lung in known rheumatoid patient presenting as cough and breathlessness for 8 months. The CT chest revealed multiple consolidations, bronchectasis and honeycombing with two times bronchoscopic biopsy negative. All non-resolving lesions with non-specific symptoms should be investigated for all possible causes including malignancy. We advised to do CT guided biopsy in such cases even after bronchial biopsy negative as it has higher yield and cost effective test.