Abstract
Pulmonary necrobiotic nodules represent a rare extra-intestinal manifestation of Crohn's disease. Histologically, they are composed of sterile aggregates of inflammatory cells with necrosis. The differential diagnosis is broad, and exclusion of infectious etiologies is mandatory before starting immunosuppressive therapy. Here, we present the fifth reported case of pulmonary necrobiotic nodules in Crohn's disease. Our patient had new-onset Crohn's disease associated with both cavitating and non-cavitating lung nodules that were confirmed to be necrobiotic nodules by biopsy. The patient was started on mesalamine and prednisone, with subsequent improvement of his gastrointestinal symptoms and regression of the necrobiotic nodules.
Footnotes
- Correspondence: Karim El-Kersh MD, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Disorders Medicine, Ambulatory Care Building, 550 S Jackson Street, Louisville, KY 40202. E-mail: kaelke01{at}louisville.edu.
The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest.
Drs El-Kersh, Perez, and Fraig presented a version of this paper at Chest 2013, held October 26–31, 2013, in Chicago, Illinois.
- Copyright © 2014 by Daedalus Enterprises