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Pulmonary MALT Lymphoma - Clinical Features: Pulmonary MALT lymphomas may be asymptomatic (about one-third of cases) and picked up incidentally on imaging. Some patients have non-specific symptoms such as cough, dyspnea, or chest pain. Systemic symptoms such as weight loss, fever, or night sweats are less common. About 40% have a serum paraprotein.
Imaging studies may show solitary or multiple nodules, ground-glass opacities, or interstitial infiltrates which can mimic interstitial lung disease or pneumonia (as seen in this case). Air bronchograms are common.
Case History: This plain chest film is from a middle-aged female with persistent cough not responding to antibiotics. There is extensive consolidation in left mid to upper zones with moderate pleural effusion. The findings were highly suggestive of infection, although in the context of persistent changes refractory to antibiotics, the possibility of neoplasm or tuberculosis was considered. The patient underwent bronchoscopic biopsy of left upper lobe infiltrate. Histopathology showed an atypical lymphocytic infiltrate with immunophenotype consistent with marginal zone lymphoma.
Case courtesy of Dr Dayu Gai, Radiopaedia.org. From the case rID: 56288
Imaging studies may show solitary or multiple nodules, ground-glass opacities, or interstitial infiltrates which can mimic interstitial lung disease or pneumonia (as seen in this case). Air bronchograms are common.
Case History: This plain chest film is from a middle-aged female with persistent cough not responding to antibiotics. There is extensive consolidation in left mid to upper zones with moderate pleural effusion. The findings were highly suggestive of infection, although in the context of persistent changes refractory to antibiotics, the possibility of neoplasm or tuberculosis was considered. The patient underwent bronchoscopic biopsy of left upper lobe infiltrate. Histopathology showed an atypical lymphocytic infiltrate with immunophenotype consistent with marginal zone lymphoma.
Case courtesy of Dr Dayu Gai, Radiopaedia.org. From the case rID: 56288