Pulmonary inflammatory Myofibroblastic tumor indistinguishable from tuberculosis: a case report in a five-year-old child with hemoptysis

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (PIMT) is a rare disease in China and its incidence is much lower than that of tuberculosis. PIMT accounts for only 0.04–1.2% of all lung tumors. PIMT can occurs in any age and nearly every part of the body. The clinical symptoms and radiological features of PIMT are nonspecific. Diagnosis is only made on the basis of histopathologic or immunohistochemical evaluation of the postoperation resected tissue. The therapeutic approach to PIMT should rely mainly on complete surgical resection. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of PIMT with hemoptysis. The girl was misdiagnosed with tuberculosis and treated with anti-tuberculous drugs for a long period of time. A right upper and middle lobectomy was performed and further assessment of the tissue demonstrated a pathologic diagnosis of PIMT. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high incidence of tuberculosis, we must consider the possibility of PIMTs in such cases to prevent misdiagnosis and mistreatment.