Idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis

Twenty seven years old woman was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea, severe hemoptysis and iron deficiency anemia. The chest X-ray showed bilateral interstitial markings with homogenous infiltration at right costodiafragmatic sinus. The patient was investigated for all alveolar hemorrhagic syndromes. The diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis (IPH) was made by open lung biopsy. IPH usually presents in infancy or within the first decade of life and is unknown aetiology. It is most common between ages 1-17 and exceedingly rare in adults. Clinical presentation of IPH varies from an insidious onset with anemia, cough, dyspnea to a fulminant onset with recurrent acute hemoptysis. Histological confirmation with open lung biopsy is often necessary for definite diagnosis.