Pulmonary Haemosiderosis Secondary to Mitral Valve Stenosis-Known Association of Uncommon Entity: A Case Report

Abstract

Pulmonary haemosiderosis is a rare lung disease characterised by haemosiderin deposition in the lungs due to recurrent intra-alveolar bleeding. It can be idiopathic or secondary due to mitral stenosis. Affected patients will have symptoms of cough, haemoptysis, and shortness of breath. Radiologically, it is characterised by widespread tiny alveolar nodular opacities with or without septal thickening. Therefore, in the case of mitral valve stenosis, this imaging pattern on High-resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) should prompt suspicion of secondary pulmonary haemosiderosis. Here, the authors present the case of a 27-year-old male patient with mitral stenosis who presented with progressive shortness of breath, mild atypical chest pain for two months, and a cough with occasional haemoptysis in the last 10 days before the hospital visit, along with typical radiological findings of widespread tiny ground glass alveolar nodules on HRCT. The radiological knowledge of this rare entity is very important for confidently making the diagnosis in the proper clinical context, to avoid unnecessary investigations and treatment.

Keywords

• haemoptysis
• high-resolution computed tomography
• nodular opacities
• septal thickening