Finding
Chest radiograph shows multiple, ill-defined, patchy
opacities in both lung fields. Enhanced CT scans show several patchy opacities
with air-bronchogram and homogeneous enhancement in the both lungs. There
are several lymph nodes in the para-tracheal area and the anterior mediastinum,
which are homogeneously enhanced. On lung-setting CT scan, the outer borders
of the opacities are shaggy.
Brief Discussion
Lymphomatous involvement of the lung can be classified
into the four categories: primary lymphoma of the lung, recurrent or secondary
lymphoma, lymphoma in the patients with posttansplantation lymphoproliferative
disorders (PTLD), and AIDS-related lymphoma (ALD). Primary pulmonary lymphoma
is usually non-Hodgkin¡¯s in type (low-grade B-cell type is common). The
frequency of lymphoma arising in the lung is estimated to be less than
1% of all lymphomas. Although thoracic Hodgkin¡¯s disease typically presents
with lymphadenopathy, a rare form of pulmonary Hodgkin¡¯s disease is restricted
to the pulmonary parenchyma at presentation. Primary pulmonary lymphoma
is diagnosed with the following strict criteria: the lung or bronchus or
both are involved, without evidence of mediastinal adenopathy or a mass
on chest radiographs; extrathoracic lymphoma was not diagnosed previously;
no evidence of extrathoracic lymphoma or lymphatic leukemia at the time
that primary lymphoma of the lung was diagnosed, as evaluated on the basis
of the results of physical examination, complete blood counts, abdominal
sonography or CT scan or lymphography, and bone marrow aspiration or biopsy
or both; and the disease was not present outside the thorax for at least
3 months after diagnosis.
Most common radiologic appearance of primary non-Hodgkin¡¯s
lymphoma of the lung is an area of opacification with poorly defined margins
and an air-bronchogram. Less common radiographic patterns of primary lymphoma
of the lung include nodules, diffuse bilateral air space consolidation,
and segmental or lobar atelectasis. Non-Hodgkin¡¯s involvement of the lung
can take the form of so-called mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)
or the closely related bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT). In MALT
and BALT, lymphomatous masses develop in multiple extranodal mucosal sites
throughout the lung, giving rise to multiple pulmonary masses in imaging
studies. Pleural involvement is rare. Primary Hodgkin¡¯s disease most commonly
presents as single or multiple nodules with an upper lobe predominance.
The nodules frequently cavitate.
The incidence of secondary involvement of the lung
at initial presentation is 12 % of patients with Hodgkin¡¯s disease and
4% of patient with non-Hodgkin¡¯s lymphoma. In Hodgkin¡¯s disease, pulmonary
involvement is almost always associated with radiographically evident hilar
and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Non-Hodgkin¡¯s lymphoma may involve the
mediastinal nodes and lungs or may be limited to the lungs. On chest radiographs,
secondary pulmonary lymphoma may present with various pattern: thickening
of bronchovascular bundles and interlobular septae (41%), discrete pulmonary
nodules (39%), areas of consolidation (14%), and disseminated micronodules
(6%). Lymphadenopathy and pleural effusion are also commonly present. Other
manifestations include cavitated masses and endobronchial masses. Most
common CT features of secondary pulmonary lymphoma are masses or masslike
areas of consolidation larger than 1cm and nodules smaller than 1cm.