Metastatic Calcification or Calcinosis Alvaro C. Laga Roberto Barrios Timothy C. Allen Abida K. Haque Metastatic calcification or calcinosis is caused by the deposition of calcium salts in the lung…

Pulmonary Alveolar Microlithiasis Roberto Barrios Alveolar microlithiasis is a rare idiopathic alveolar filling disorder. It is characterized by intra-alveolar accumulation of calcium phosphate, which forms laminated concretions. Microscopically there are…

Cocaine Abuse Alvaro C. Laga Timothy C. Allen Carlos Bedrossian Philip T. Cagle Patients who abuse cocaine, either intravenously or by smoking it (crack cocaine), may have pulmonary disease. Pulmonary…

Intravenous Drug Abuse Alvaro C. Laga Timothy C. Allen Philip T. Cagle Drug abusers may inject drugs intended for oral use. The drugs often contain filler substances such as talc,…

Contusions Abida K. Haque Pulmonary contusions can occur as a result of rapid deceleration injury, explosions, or high-velocity projectile injury to the chest or abdomen. Often, there is no obvious…

Fires and Smoke Inhalation Abida K. Haque Respiratory complications are a major cause of death in victims of fire and inhalation injury. The presence of inhalation injury dramatically increases mortality,…

Drowning Abida K. Haque Drowning is a common cause of accidental deaths, particularly in children. The lungs are edematous in both fresh and saltwater drowning; however, “dry lungs,” or absence…

Radiation Pneumonitis Hakan Çermik Mary L. Ostrowski Roberto Barrios Radiation-induced lung injury—acute, delayed, or chronic—is damage to the lung produced by ionizing radiation. Pathologic changes in radiated fields may follow…

Other Drugs Roberto Barrios Alvaro C. Laga Mary L. Ostrowski Carlos Bedrossian Hakan Çermik Other drugs that may induce pulmonary toxicity include cyclophosphamide, bleomycin, busulphan, sulfasalazine, and nitrofurantoin. Cyclophosphamide pulmonary…

Gefitinib Timothy C. Allen Gefitinib, an oral selective inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, is a new molecular-targeted agent used for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell…