Bronchial glomus tumor with calcification: A case report

BACKGROUND: Glomus tumors (GTs), defined by modified smooth cells and normal glomus body cells, usually present with a small mass occurring in the soft tissue or dermis of an extremity, especially in the subungual region. However, other unusual sites, such as the respiratory tract, have also been reported. They are usually sporadic. Their imaging findings are usually nonspecific and likely to appear as a well-delineated round mass that usually lacks calcification. To our knowledge, we report the first case of bronchial GTs with calcification, reminding clinicians and radiologists that GT is one of the differential diagnoses when a calcified nodular mass is found. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of a 33-yr-old Chinese man with cough and sputum for 11 d and hemoptysis for 5 d. Chest computed tomography revealed a calcified nodular lesion on the compressed posterior wall of the lower left main bronchus and bronchiectasis in the lower lobe of the left lung. To confirm the characteristics of calcified nodules, we performed fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The tumor tissue from the biopsy of bronchial mucosal lesions established the diagnosis of GT. Because the patient had no life-threatening symptoms, he was not treated with surgery. Clinical follow-up for 25 mo showed that the patient survived well without any discomfort. CONCLUSION: Bronchial GTs are usually not accompanied by calcification on computed tomography scans. To our knowledge, we report the first calcified bronchial GT. We recommend that clinicians consider GT as a possible differential diagnosis when a calcified mass of the bronchi is found.