pulmonary alveolar proteinosis

pulmonary alveolar proteinosis
pulmonary alveolar proteinosis n a chronic disease of the lungs characterized by the filling of the alveoli with proteinaceous material and by the progressive loss of lung function

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a chronic lung disease characterized by dyspnea, productive cough, chest pain, weakness, weight loss, and hemoptysis, and by the filling of the distal alveoli with a bland, eosinophilic, probably endogenous, proteinaceous material that prevents ventilation of affected areas. On computed tomography, the tissue has a characteristic appearance of crazy paving (q.v.).

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. The alveoli are filled with a dense, amorphous, protein-lipid granular precipitate; the alveolar walls are normal.


Medical dictionary. 2011.

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