Familial diffuse pulmonary ossification: A possible genetic disorder

Abstract

Diffuse pulmonary ossification (DPO) is an uncommon disease that is characterized by the widespread formation of ectopic bone in the lungs. Herein, we describe two familial cases of DPO. The patients were a 47-year-old woman and her 76-year-old father. Both patients had a history of recurrent cough, and their chest images showed multiple nodules with ossification. No underlying diseases that might have caused DPO were evident; however, the female patient also had congenital finger hypoplasia and deformity. The present cases indicate the possibility that DPO might be partly associated with genetic disorders.

Keywords: Diffuse pulmonary ossification; Ectopic bone formation; Familial occurrence; Nodular pulmonary ossification.