Bronchiectasis masquerading as pulmonary embolus.

Abstract

The diagnosis of bronchiectasis usually suggests a patient with a productive cough and shortness of breath. This report describes the case history of an otherwise healthy 43-year-old man who presented with repetitive episodes of pleuritic pain that led to several extensive, invasive evaluations in search of a pulmonary embolus. Only after a carefully taken history did the patient admit to an intermittent chronic cough, which suggested the diagnosis of bronchiectasis. This diagnosis was ultimately confirmed by bronchography. This report suggests that patients with bronchiectasis may present with unusual clinical manifestations, and that the correct diagnosis may be missed unless physicians are aware that "old" diseases may present in "new" ways.