Peripherally located endobronchial hamartoma mimicking aspergilloma: a case report

We herein report the case of a 75-year-old man with a pulmonary hamartoma that mimicked aspergilloma on chest computed tomography (CT). A CT scan performed to assess an asymptomatic lesion detected on a screening chest radiograph showed a 1.3-cm diameter nodule with an air crescent sign in the left lower lobe. A diagnosis of aspergilloma was made and the patient treated with an antifungal agent for 1 year, following which he underwent radical surgery because of failure of the radiologic lesion to resolve. Pathologic examination of the resected specimen showed an endobronchial hamartoma within the B9 periphery. Peripherally located hamartomas can develop within the peripheral bronchi resulting in an air crescent appearance on radiological images.