[Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Observed in the Subpleural Area;Report of a Case].

A 39-year-old man consulted our hospital because of an abnormal shadow on a chest X-ray without any symptoms. A chest computed tomography revealed patchy peripheral ground-glass attenuation, in the subpleural area. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was clear and transbronchial lung biopsy findings were inconclutive. A video-assisted thoracic surgery-biopsy was performed. The specimens demonstrated accumulation of proteinaceous materials within alveolar spaces. The patient was given a diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.