Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ami-machi, Ibaraki, Japan.
Division of Respiratory Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Mito Medical Center-Mito Kyodo General Hospital, Mito, Ibaraki, Japan.
Adv Respir Med. 2021;89(3):320-323. doi: 10.5603/ARM.a2021.0003.
Tracheobronchial adenoid cystic carcinomas are rare tumors that progress slowly. Diagnosis by chest plain radiography is difficult, and suspecting the existence of a disease that causes stenosis in the airways is an important key for diagnosis. A 51-year-old woman referred to our hospital because of dyspnea on exertion. Chest plain radiograph showed a slight widening of the mediastinum. The flow-volume curve of respiratory function test revealed flat portions of the curve suggesting the central airway obstruction pattern. Chest CT confirmed the existence of tracheobronchial tumor, which was pathologically diagnosed as adenoid cystic carcinoma. Chest physicians and thoracic surgeons should be careful not to miss these trivial findings in the first inspections.
气管支气管腺样囊性癌是一种罕见的生长缓慢的肿瘤。胸部平片检查对其诊断较困难，怀疑存在导致气道狭窄的疾病是诊断的重要关键。一位 51 岁女性因劳力性呼吸困难就诊于我院。胸部平片显示纵隔轻度增宽。呼吸功能测试的流量-容积曲线显示曲线的平坦部分提示中央气道阻塞模式。胸部 CT 证实存在气管支气管肿瘤，病理诊断为腺样囊性癌。胸部内科医生和胸外科医生应注意在初次检查时不要遗漏这些细微的发现。
