• Bibek S Pannu and Vivek N Iyer.
• Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
• Respir Med Case Rep. 2015 Jan 1; 16: 157-9.

AbstractChronic cough that is dry, non-productive and without constitutional symptoms is often thought to have a non-malignant etiology such as asthma, post-nasal drip or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We present a case of a patient with a 3 year history of 'chronic cough' that was dry, non-productive cough and without any constitutional symptoms. Initial chest x-ray (CXR) done 3 years ago showed some streaky atelectasis in the right middle lobe along with some volume loss on that side. Another CXR performed one and half years later showed progression to a complete right middle lobe collapse. She ultimately presented to our facility a year later with stable CXR findings, but persistent cough. A chest CT scan was suspicious for a right lower lobe mass. A PET scan subsequently confirmed a hypermetabolic right hilar mass causing extrinsic compression of the bronchus intermedius. She ultimately required a complete right pneumonectomy with partial pericardiectomy and had complete resolution of her cough. This case highlights the fact that 'chronic cough' should always be thoroughly investigated and should remain a diagnosis of exclusion until all sinister pathologies have been ruled out.

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