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Case Reports
. 2015 Apr 30:16:7-10.
doi: 10.1016/j.rmcr.2015.04.006. eCollection 2015.

A case of pulmonary tumour thrombotic microangiopathy

Shane McAnearney  1 , Maire Drain  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

A case of pulmonary tumour thrombotic microangiopathy

Shane McAnearney et al. Respir Med Case Rep. .

Abstract

Pulmonary tumour thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a rapidly progressive pulmonary disease that is a fatal complication of malignancy. It manifests clinically as subacute respiratory failure with pulmonary hypertension, progressive right sided heart failure, and sudden death. We describe here a case of PTTM associated with occult metastatic signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach. Although rare, PTTM needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of dyspnoea of unknown origin, particularly in patients with respiratory failure and also pulmonary hypertension, and in patients were there is no improvement in respiratory symptoms with steroid therapy.

Keywords: Gastric cancer; Interstitial lung disease; Oncology; Pulmonary tumour thrombotic microangiopathy.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CT image showing alveolar infiltrates and reticular nodular opacities.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Echocardiography demonstrating elevated right ventricular systolic pressure as estimated from the tricuspid regurgitation signal.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
CT showing progression of infiltrates to confluent consolidation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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