Bronchial stump aspergillosis after lobectomy for lung cancer as an unusual cause of false positive fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography: a case report

Ignasi Garcia-Olivé; Felipe Andreo; Oria Rosiñol; Jose Sanz-Santos; Albert Font; Eduard Monsó

doi:10.1186/1752-1947-5-72

Bronchial stump aspergillosis after lobectomy for lung cancer as an unusual cause of false positive fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography: a case report

J Med Case Rep. 2011 Feb 22:5:72. doi: 10.1186/1752-1947-5-72.

Authors

Ignasi Garcia-Olivé¹, Felipe Andreo, Oria Rosiñol, Jose Sanz-Santos, Albert Font, Eduard Monsó

Affiliation

¹ Pulmonology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Carretera del Canyet s/n 08916 Badalona, Barcelona, Spain. ignasi.g.olive@gmail.com.

Abstract

Introduction: Bronchial stump aspergillosis is a rare entity characterized by cough and hemoptysis.

Case presentation: We report the case of a 58-year-old Caucasian woman who developed bronchial stump aspergillosis two years after a left upper lobe resection for lung cancer. Bronchial stump aspergillosis was diagnosed as a result of a focus of increased fluorodeoxyglucose activity in a follow-up positron emission tomography and computed tomography scan. She was treated with oral antifungal therapy and presented with good evolution after three months of treatment.

Conclusion: Bronchial stump aspergillosis is an unusual complication after pulmonary resection. Clinicians should be aware of it when a local recurrence of cancer around the bronchial stump is suspected based on a positive positron emission tomography and computed tomography finding.