July 2017 Pulmonary Case of the Month

Robert W. Viggiano, MD

Department of Pulmonary Medicine

Mayo Clinic Arizona

Scottsdale, AZ USA

History of Present Illness

The patient is a 19-year-old woman who went to a local Emergency Room 12/23/15 for chest pain she described as pleurisy. She was told she had pneumonia and a chest x-ray was reported to show a lingular infiltrate (Figure 1).

Figure 1. PA (A) and lateral (B) chest radiograph taken 12/23/15.

She was treated with antibiotics and improved. She was well until 9/2/16 when she again returned to the emergency room complaining of hemoptysis. A chest x-ray was reported as showing a lingular infiltrate (Figure 2). 

Figure 2. PA (A) and lateral (B) chest radiograph taken 9/2/16.

She was treated with azithromycin but her cough persisted sometimes with a small amount of blood in her sputum. She was referred because of her persistent symptoms and her abnormal chest x-ray.

Past Medical History, Social History and Family History

• She is now taking fluoxetine daily.
• She has a history of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with Group A Streptococcus and was treated with antibiotics for 4-5 years.
• Nonsmoker.

Physical Examination

Her physical examination was unremarkable.

Which of the following are true? (Click on the correct answer to proceed to the second of five pages)

1. Her chest radiographs are consistent with pneumonia
2. Lung cancer is an unlikely consideration in a 19-year-old
3. The chest x-ray findings represent a well-known complication of pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder
4. 1 and 3
5. All of the above

Cite as: Viggiano RW. July 2017 pulmonary case of the month. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2017;15(1):1-6. doi: https://doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc082-17 PDF 

April 2016 Pulmonary Case of the Month

Lewis J. Wesselius, MD

Rodrigo Cartin-Ceba, MD 

Department of Pulmonary Medicine

Mayo Clinic Arizona

Scottsdale, AZ

Pulmonary Case of the Month CME Information

Members of the Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and California Thoracic Societies and the Mayo Clinic are able to receive 0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for each case they complete. Completion of an evaluation form is required to receive credit and a link is provided on the last panel of the activity. 

0.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

Estimated time to complete this activity: 0.25 hours

Lead Author(s): Lewis J. Wesselius, MD.  All Faculty, CME Planning Committee Members, and the CME Office Reviewers have disclosed that they do not have any relevant financial relationships with commercial interests that would constitute a conflict of interest concerning this CME activity.

Learning Objectives:
As a result of this activity I will be better able to:

1. Correctly interpret and identify clinical practices supported by the highest quality available evidence.
2. Will be better able to establsh the optimal evaluation leading to a correct diagnosis for patients with pulmonary, critical care and sleep disorders.
3. Will improve the translation of the most current clinical information into the delivery of high quality care for patients.
4. Will integrate new treatment options in discussing available treatment alternatives for patients with pulmonary, critical care and sleep related disorders.

Learning Format: Case-based, interactive online course, including mandatory assessment questions (number of questions varies by case). Please also read the Technical Requirements.

CME Sponsor: University of Arizona College of Medicine at Banner University Medical Center Tucson

Current Approval Period: January 1, 2015-December 31, 2016

Financial Support Received: None

History of Present Illness

The patient is a 75-year-old woman who presented with a chest mass incidentally found on chest x-ray. She was asymptomatic

Past Medical History, Social History and Family History

She has no significant past medical history and has never smoked. Family history is noncontributory.

Physical Examination

Physical examination was unremarkable.

Radiography

A thoracic CT scan was performed (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Representative thoracic CT scan in soft tissue windows showing  a mass (arrow).

Which of the following are possible causes of the mass? (Click on the correct answer to proceed to the second of four panels)

1. Lymphoma
2. Teratoma
3. Thymoma
4. Thyroid carcinoma
5. All of the above 

Cite as: Wesselius LJ, Cartin-Ceba R. April 2016 pulmonary case of the month. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2016 Apr;12(4):126-9. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc032-16 PDF