June 2012 Pulmonary Case of the Month: What’s a Millet Seed Look Like?

Alexis Christie, MD

Robert Viggiano, MD

Lewis J. Wesselius, MD

Pulmonary Medicine

Mayo Clinic Arizona

Scottsdale, AZ

History of Present Illness

A 32 year old woman presents with a week long history of dyspnea, cough, fatigue, tiredness and pruritis. She has a past medical history (PMH) of Stage IIB, nodular sclerosing Hodgkin’s disease diagnosed in January, 2011. She underwent several cycles of chemotherapy and eventually an autologous stem cell transplant in January, 2012. Her current medications include:

• Acyclovir 800mg bid
• Ativan 0.5mg q4h/ prn
• Hydromorphone 8mg q4h/ prn
• Atarax 100mg q6h/ prn
• Compazine 10mg q6h/ prn

She had just finished a course of levofloxacin.

PMH, SH and FH

As above. She is a life-long nonsmoker and has no history of lung disease.

Physical Examination

Her physical examination was normal.

Chest X-ray

Her chest x-ray was interpreted as unchanged from previous examinations. 

Which of the following are indicated?

1. Thoracic CT scanning
2. PET scanning
3. Empiric treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics
4. All of the above

Reference as: Christie A, Viggiano R, Wesselius LJ. June 2012 pulmonary case of the month: what's a millet seed look like? Southwest J Pulm Crit Care 2012;4:182-8. (Click here for a PDF version of the case)