[Three cases of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis in a family and clinical analysis]

To describe the characteristics of 3 cases of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis in a family, and therefore to improve the understanding of the disease.

To analyze the clinical, laboratory and radiological data of three patients with pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis in a family and the relevant literatures were reviewed.

There was a typical manifestation in these three cases of pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis: progressive dyspnoea, cough, family history. Chest X-ray and computed tomography demonstrate: the pulmones was full of high density reflection of intra-alveolar microliths especially in middle-lower lobe and posterior lobe. The etiology of these three cases is still unknown, consanguineous marriage of parents is possible reason. There was not effective therapies to them.

Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis is a disease without clear known etiology and effective therapy. For a patient with radiological features of high density intra-alveolar microliths and a positive family history, the diagnosis should be highly suspected.