Abstract

Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) is an uncommon but devastating disease of children. The radiographic finding of a diffuse reticulonodular alveolar infiltrate together with clinical findings of chronic, nonproductive cough, chronic or acute dyspnea and irondeficiency anemia, strongly suggest IPH, but open-lung biopsy is usually necesary for definitive diagnosis. We present a case of a fourteen year-old boy with IPH who has been admitted to our clinic with severe anemia, acute respiratory failure and typical chest X-ray. Histopathologic diagnosis was done on the sputum and the open lung biopsy specimen was carried out on the 30th day of admission. The patient is now on corticosteroid therapy and clinically stable.