Clinicopathological features of metastatic pulmonary calcinosis with malignant neoplasm

Metastatic pulmonary calcinosis is a rare complication seen in malignancies accompanied by hypercalcemia, or chronic renal failure. We reviewed the clinicopathological findings of 8 cases of metastatic pulmonary calcinosis accompanied malignancy revealed at autopsy. The underlying diseases were malignant lymphoma in 3 cases (adult T cell lymphoma in 2 cases), multiple myeloma in 2, lung cancer in 2, and acute myelocytic leukemia in 1, all cases were complicated by hypercalcemia and renal failure. Chest X-ray revealed almost normal findings in 2 cases, bilateral diffuse infiltrates in 4, bilateral infiltrates in the apex in 1, and right atelectasis in 1. Bone scintigraphy was performed in 4 cases, and revealed warm pulmonary uptake in 1 patient with multiple myeloma and 1 with lung cancer, but normal findings in the 2 other cases. Histopathological examination revealed diffuse alveolar septal edema and fibrosis due to calcium deposition, which were considered to be the cause of respiratory failure. Metastatic pulmonary calcinosis is a rare but a serious complication in malignancies accompanied by hypercalcemia and renal failure, and bone scintigraphy seems to be a useful method for its diagnosis.