Pulmonary nodular lesions in a 70-year-old man

Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is an uncommon but increasingly recognized clinicopathologic syndrome. This report illustrates a proteiform clinical presentation of BOOP in a 70-year-old patient with cough, low-grade fever, weight loss, and hemoptysis. Chest radiograph and computed tomography (CT scan) showed nodular lesions. A video-assisted thoracoscopic procedure for biopsy of the largest nodule was performed at the end of an extensive work-up. A diagnosis of BOOP was established and, because of persistent symptomatology, corticosteroid therapy was initiated. This observation illustrates that the clinical and radiological findings of BOOP are non-specific and can sometimes mimic primary and/or secondary pulmonary malignancies.