Dendriform pulmonary ossification, a form of diffuse pulmonary ossification: report of a 26-year autopsy experience.

Abstract

Dendriform pulmonary ossification is an uncommon and unusual entity seen incidentally at autopsy and associated with chronic lung disease. It is well demonstrated in postmortem examination, confirmed by microscopy and ultrastructural study, but rarely diagnosed and virtually never considered clinically. Clinical diagnoses include bronchiectasis and interstitial pneumonitis based on radiographic evidence. With its associated radiographic/pathologic findings, DPO should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic lung disease.