Severe idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis in the absence of clinical or radiologic evidence of pulmonary disease

A case of idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis in a 9-year-old Caucasian boy is presented. In spite of moderate to severe recurrent iron deficiency anemia and an estimated daily pulmonary blood loss of 30 to 40 ml., the patient never had clinical or radiologic evidence of pulmonary disease. Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis should be considered as a cause of iron deficiency anemia, especially in the older child in whom attempts to demonstrate a source of gastrointestinal bleeding are unrevealing.