Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration demonstrating serial bronchopulmonary changes on computed tomography.

INTRODUCTION

Tracheobronchial foreign body may often be treated as asthma, chronic bronchitis or etc. especially in patients with no memories of aspiration episodes.

CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old woman, suffering from persistent cough, was temporarily misdiagnosed with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and treated for six months. During this period, computed tomography (CT) findings changed from thickened bronchial walls and a "tree-in-bud" pattern to clubbing bronchiectasis and atelectasis, and no significant bacteria was detected. Finally, a vegetable core was subsequently extracted via flexible bronchofiberscopy. Although the patient's symptoms improved dramatically, the bronchopulmonary lesion remained practically.

CONCLUSIONS

We assume that chronologic CT findings of the bronchopulmonary damage by aspiration of a vegetable core, without significant detection of bacteria during the course, will be quite valuable for clinicians.