A Case Report of Bronchial Amyloid Nodule Diagnosed by Flexible Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy

Amyloidosis is a rare clinical disease. Its clinical manifestations as well as laboratoryresults are nonspecific and widely varying. The radiographic manifestations of tracheobronchial involvement are also widely varying. One may only see evidence of secondary changes such as atelectasis, obstructiveemphysema, distal bronchitis, pneumonitis or bronchiectasis. Tomograms or bronchogramsmay demonstrate nodular masses. When a patient presents with symptoms ofairway irritability and any of the above radiographic manifestations are discovered, the possibility of a subepithelial amyloid nodule should be investigated. This is bestinvestigated with fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The medical literature contains a small number of cases of amyloidsis of the larynxand upper trachea discovered by indirect laryngoscopy and rigid bronchoscopy. Thereare no report, however, of lower tracheal or bronchial involvement diagnosed by flexiblefiberoptic bronchoscopy. This report concerns a 50 year old male who came to our hospital with chief comp-laints of cough, sleeplessness and generalized lymphoadenopathy. Multiple small millet sized protrusions were found in both main stem bronchi byflexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The diagnosis of amyloid nodule was confirmed histopathologically.