Radiology Case Reports (Aug 2021)

A rare case of cavitary lung lesions in an adolescent: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis

  • Sekhar Iyer, MD,
  • Michael A Simon, MD,
  • Donald Schroeder, MD,
  • Lyle Gesner, MD

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16, no. 8
pp. 2184 – 2186

Abstract

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Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) is a life threatening disease if left untreated which predominantly affects the adult population. As clinical presentation is often non-specific there is a heavy reliance on radiologic, laboratory and biopsy findings in diagnosis. We present a case of a 17-year-old male who presented with a history of tea colored urine and recurrent epistaxis who now complained of cough and congestion. The patient failed multiple courses of outpatient antibiotics and a CT of the chest while in the ED demonstrated multiple cavitary lesions. Subsequent workup and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of GPA. It is important for the Radiologist and other clinicians to keep GPA in their differential when presented with a cavitary lung lesion as prompt treatment is required for good outcomes.

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