A Case of Relapsing Polychondritis That Could Be Diagnosed at an Early Stage by Thyroid Cartilage Biopsy

We present the case of a 73-year-old male patient with relapsing polychondritis. The patient presented with only the symptom of cough. FDG-PET showed accumulation in the trachea, thyroid cartilage, and ribs. We were not able to obtain a diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis by auricular cartilage biopsy, but were able to confirm the diagnosis by thyroid cartilage biopsy. Treatment could be started early after diagnosis, and the early intervention has prevented any worsening of the symptom. Early diagnosis and treatment are important in case of relapsing polychondritis, because the airway symptoms can be fatal. We think that biopsy from an appropriate site, taking into account the degree of invasiveness, is useful for early diagnosis.