Open AccessIntrathoracic amyloid tumors that presented as yellowish multinodular endobronchial protrusions with irregular vascularity and easy bleeding
Author(s) -
Tomono Hiromi,
Soda Hiroshi,
Fukuda Yuichi,
Tanaka Yasuhiro,
Ono Sawana,
Shimada Midori,
Iwasaki Keisuke,
Hisanaga Masashi,
Yamaguchi Hiroyuki,
Mukae Hiroshi
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
thoracic cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.823
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1759-7714
pISSN - 1759-7706
DOI - 10.1111/1759-7714.13159
Subject(s) - medicine , vascularity , amyloidosis , pathology , biopsy , bronchoscopy , amyloid (mycology) , calcification , radiology , lesion
Immunoglobulin light‐chain (AL) amyloidosis is a monoclonal plasma cell neoplasm that has a tendency to bleed easily. However, the potential risks of transbronchial biopsy in such cases have not been fully proven. Here, we report a case of parotid and intrathoracic AL amyloid tumors that presented as endobronchial protrusions that bled easily. Bronchoscopy under conventional white light and narrow band imaging revealed yellowish multinodular protrusions, in which irregular tortuous or dotted vessels were observed. Unexpectedly, biopsy of the lesion resulted in persistent bleeding. The biopsy specimen showed a large amount of amyloid deposition and calcification directly under the bronchial epithelium, as well as amyloid deposits in the blood vessel walls. In patients suspected to have amyloidosis, the presence of yellowish multinodular endobronchial protrusions, particularly with irregular vascularity, should prompt careful attention to avoid fatal postprocedural bleeding.