Tuberc Respir Dis.  2007 Aug;63(2):139-144. 10.4046/trd.2007.63.2.139.

Clinical and Radiological Characteristics of Non-Tuberculous Bronchial Anthracofibrosis

• Jang SJ
• Lee SY
• Kim SC
• Lee SY
• Cho HS
• Park KH
• Moon HS
• Song JS
• Park SH
• Kim YK
• Park HJ

• KMID: 1910092
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2007.63.2.139

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Bronchial anthracofibrosis, which is defined as bronchial narrowing with black pigmentation of the overlying bronchial mucosa, is frequently associated with tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between bronchial anthrocofibrosis and to identify the clinical and radiological characteristics of non-tuberculous bronchial anthracofibrosis.
METHODS
All patients who showed bronchial anthracofibrosis in more than one segment on a bronchoscopic examination from January 2003 to July 2006 at Kangnam St. Mary's hospital were enrolled in this study. The underlying diseases, baseline clinical characteristics, characteristic findings on a computed tomogram (CT) of the chest, pathologic findings of the bronchial mucosa, and the clinical response to steroid therapy were analyzed retrospectively.
RESULTS
A total 54 patients (19 males, 35 females) were enrolled with a mean age of 75 years. The most common presenting symptoms were cough, sputum and dyspnea. The predominant X-ray findings were peribronchial soft tissue attenuation with or without calcification, mediastinal lymphadenopathy with or without calcification and atelectasis. Fourteen non-tuberculous anthracofibrosis patients were treated with steroid. Nine patients were improved clinically, and 6 patients were improved radiologically.
CONCLUSION
Bronchial anthracofibrosis is frequently associated with various pulmonary diseases not only tuberculosis but also COPD pneumonia etc.

Keyword

Anthracofibrosis; Steroid; Tuberculosis

MeSH Terms

Cough
Dyspnea
Humans
Lung Diseases
Lymphatic Diseases
Male
Mucous Membrane
Pigmentation
Pneumonia
Pulmonary Atelectasis
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Retrospective Studies
Sputum
Thorax
Tuberculosis

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