A 55 years old man with pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM) is a very rare diffuse chronic lung disease characterized by deposition of small spherules of calcium phosphate within the alveolar cavity. The disease is usually seen from birth up to 40 years of age and is usually diagnosed incidentally during radiography of the chest for other reasons. Most of patients are asymptomatic or having very mild symptoms and the majority of patients either have normal or restrictive pulmonary function test. Clinically, the course of the disease is different; it remains static in few patients or it may progress to pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory failure and cor pulmonale in others. In this case report, we present a 55-year-old man who presented with moderate shortness of breath which has progressed from mild symptoms with in the previous years. His chest high-resolution CT scan showed diffusely scattered, ill-defined little shadowy micronodules which involve the left lung; lingula and left lower lobe in particular. A lung biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of PAM. He was followed up for 1 year with treatment by steroid and alendronate, and no progression was noticed in fact improvement in pulmonary function test noticed. This is the first case report of PAM in Kurdistan.