[Idiopathic diffuse pulmonary ossification: a case report and review of the literature]

To describe the clinical features and diagnosis of idiopathic diffuse pulmonary ossification (DPO).

A case of DPO confirmed by video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lung biopsy was reported, and the literature was reviewed.

A 32 year-old male was admitted to this hospital because of increased lung markings on chest X-ray for 7 years, and diffuse micro-nodular and reticular lesions on chest CT for 2 years. There were no significant symptoms, such as cough, sputum production and shortness of breath. Routine examinations and transbronchial lung biopsy failed to give a definite diagnosis, and therefore VATS lung biopsy was performed. The pathological study confirmed the presence of bone tissue in the lung, and the diagnosis of idiopathic DPD was made after careful exclusion of underlying diseases. Eleven cases of DPO diagnosed by lung biopsy in living patients were collected by review of the literature. The patients were all males, with a mean age of (48 +/- 17) years. No clinical symptoms were present in 4 cases, while spontaneous pneumothorax was the initial presentation in 3 cases. Other complaints included cough and shortness of breath. No case was reported in the Chinese literature.

DPO is a rare disease, often without significant symptoms despite radiologically diffuse pulmonary lesions, which are easily misdiagnosed as other interstitial lung diseases.