NODULAR PULMONARY AMYLOIDOSIS ASSOCIATED WITH ASBESTOS EXPOSURE

A 71 year old man was admitted for the purpose of diagnosis of a right solitary pulmonary nodule. The size of the nodule was 18 x 18 mm in d iameter 2 years ago, but it has become large, 25 x 25 mm in diameter. The nodule was resected by thoracotomy. Microscopically, eosinophilic amorphous, acellular substances were surrounded by inflammatory infilt rates. It stained with Congo red stain and showed green birefringence with polarizing microscopy. Amyloid fibrils were observed electron mic roscopically. Asbestos bodies were observed in the lung parenchyma aro und the nodule. This case shows that a nodule in nodular pulmonary amy loidosis can grow gradually and suggests the possibility of asbestos f ibers as one of the etiologic factors in nodular pulmonary amyloidosis .