Pulmonary hemosiderosis

Last revised by Ian Bickle on 6 Dec 2020

Pulmonary hemosiderosis (PH) refers to iron deposition within the lung. It can be divided into two main types:

Although the term “siderosis” strictly just means any deposition of surplus iron in the body, when used as a stand-alone term it usually refers to pulmonary siderosis. 

It is usually characterized by:

  • small, ill-defined pulmonary nodules or 
  • coarse reticular areas of increased opacity with a bias for the middle and lower lung regions 
  • pulmonary ossification (especially when related to mitral stenosis): manifests as dense 1-5 mm nodules, mainly in the middle and lower lungs, with a tendency for confluence and the occasional presence of trabeculae

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