Autofluorescence imaging bronchoscopy as a novel approach to the management of tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica: a case report

Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica (TO) is a rare disease characterized by the development of multiple, submucosal cartilaginous and osseous nodules (1-3). In general, rare diseases face significant challenges with regard to diagnosis and optimal management and treatment (4). The collection of adequate data pertaining to the clinical course of patients is necessary to provide useful information regarding response to treatment and disease progression. TO is not only rare but also presents highly varied and unpredictable clinical manifestations (1,2). Consequently, the management and treatment strategies remain unclear. Although there is less emphasis on the need for new devices, an accurate evaluation tool is an important aspect of management. Bronchoscopy is the gold standard for TO diagnosis; however, it cannot satisfactorily assess subtle mucosal changes to determine the treatment response (5). Autofluorescence imaging bronchoscopy (AFI) is a recently introduced advanced endoscopic technology that can detect subtle mucosal changes with the aid of different colors (6). Here we report the AFI findings for a case involving a 42-year-old man with typical histopathological findings of TO