Abstract

Metastatic pulmonary calcifications, unlike dystrophic calcifications, occur in the normal healthy lung. The radiological pattern is quite specific. The disease is commonly described in chronic renal failure with calcium disorders. The prognosis is totally unpredictable. In 1992, a 50 yr old man underwent a successful renal transplantation during the final stage of chronic renal failure. He subsequently developed asymptomatic diffuse nodular opacities, that were discovered in 1995. An open lung biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic pulmonary calcification. There was no calcium disorder in this patient. In contrast to the benign course of pulmonary calcification in most patients, some fulminant pulmonary calcifications complicating renal transplantation or hypercalcaemia have been described. Radiographic identification of such entities is important to permit correction of calcium disorders. Otherwise, the condition is a potentially progressive and fatal cause of respiratory failure.

Highlights

  • In 1992, a 50 yr old man underwent a successful renal transplantation during the final stage of chronic renal failure

  • We report the case of a man who, following kidney transplantation, developed diffuse confluent nodular opacities, visible on chest radiography, without any clinical symptoms

  • Metastatic pulmonary calcification is characterized by diffuse calcium salt deposition, whether localized in apical zones or throughout the lungs

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Summary

Metastatic pulmonary calcification after renal transplantation

The disease is commonly described in chronic renal failure with calcium disorders. In 1992, a 50 yr old man underwent a successful renal transplantation during the final stage of chronic renal failure. He subsequently developed asymptomatic diffuse nodular opacities, that were discovered in 1995. In contrast to the benign course of pulmonary calcification in most patients, some fulminant pulmonary calcifications complicating renal transplantation or hypercalcaemia have been described. Radiographic identification of such entities is important to permit correction of calcium disorders. The computed tomography (CT) scan revealed the presence of calcifications

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