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Acute chest syndrome - sickle cell disease

Case contributed by Hani Makky Al Salam
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Chest pain.

Patient Data

Age: 30 years
Gender: Female

Low lung volume with bilateral basal opacities. 

No acute pulmonary embolism. Mild cardiomegaly. Bilateral posterior lower lobe patchy consolidations, suggestive of either multifocal pneumonia or acute chest syndrome.

Case Discussion

Bilateral lower lobe patchy consolidation in a patient with sickle cell anemia in the setting of acute chest pain highly suggestive of acute chest syndrome. For this particular patient, a throat bacterial culture was +4 β-hemolytic streptococcus Group A (S. pyogenes).

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