Miliary Tuberculosis in a Young Patient? Let's Not Forget the Lung Adenocarcinoma

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) CA), 2020-08, Vol.12 (8)
• Main Authors: Zia, Zeeshan, Iqbal, Qasim Z, Narula, Naureen, Sattar, Saud Bin Abdul, Rafay Khan Niazi, Muhammad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Internal Medicine; Pulmonology; Radiology
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.10058

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed every year and accounts for a major percentage of cancer incidence and mortality annually, especially in men. Lung adenocarcinoma is a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is the most common type of lung cancer found in smokers and nonsmokers alike. It is known to have diverse CT chest findings ranging from: ground-glass opacities (GGOs) with partially solid nodules, to single or multiple solid nodules that can be either central or peripheral, to thin-walled cystic lesions. Lesions are usually solitary but may be multifocal. Rarely, these lesions can be calcified or demonstrate cavitation, which can make it difficult to distinguish from an infectious disease like tuberculosis, pneumonia, or even fungal infections. Here, we present a case of a 36-year-old Asian male with no significant past medical history, except a 16-pack-year smoking history and recent deployment to Afghanistan, that initially presented with a chief complaint of cough of three-week duration. His CT scan showed innumerable bilateral pulmonary nodules within both lung fields with a miliary type appearance that ultimately turned out to be adenocarcinoma.