Tracheobronchial involvement in relapsing polychondritis diagnosed on endobronchial ultrasound

Abstract

Respiratory tract chondritis is not uncommon in patients with relapsing polychondritis (RP); however, diagnosing this condition remains problematic, especially in patients whose extrapulmonary manifestations do not predominate, as there are broad differential diagnoses of airway obstruction. We herein report the case of a 56-year-old man who presented with cough and dyspnea. Computed tomography of the chest demonstrated diffuse smooth thickening of the visualized tracheobronchial wall with a moderately narrowed lumen. Airway chondritis was diagnosed on endobronchial ultrasound following demonstration of thickening of the submucosal and cartilaginous layers in the anterior and lateral aspects of the bronchial wall, while the posterior region expressed less involvement. In conjunction with nasal and auricular chondritis, which were previously overlooked, RP was finally diagnosed. © 2013 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.