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Case 12 - Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 October 2011

By
David Levin  and
Thomas Hartman
Edited by
Thomas Hartman
Thomas Hartman
Affiliation:
Mayo Clinic, Rochester
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Summary

Imaging description

The classic CT appearance of pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) is a combination of cysts and small nodules [1, 2]. Cysts are the most common finding and nodules are almost always seen in conjunction with cysts. The cysts spare the lung bases (Figures 12.1–12.4) and frequently demonstrate irregular shapes. Cyst walls can range from relatively thick to barely perceptible. The pulmonary nodules are typically 1–5 mm in diameter and also spare the bases. Nodules are typically more numerous in the early stages of the disease (Figure 12.1) while cysts predominate in later stages (Figures 12.2–12.4).

Importance

The diagnosis of PLCH can typically be made solely on the basis of the CT findings. Smoking cessation can result in resolution of the disease.

Type
Chapter
Information
Pearls and Pitfalls in Thoracic Imaging
Variants and Other Difficult Diagnoses
 , pp. 30 - 33
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

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References

Abbott, GFRosado-de-Christenson, MLFranks, TJFrazier, AAGalvin, JR.Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosisRadiographics 2004 24 821CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Attili, AKKazerooni, EAGross, BHSmoking-related interstitial lung disease: radiologic-clinical-pathologic correlationRadiographics 2008 28 1383CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vassallo, RRyu, JHColby, TVHartman, TLimper, AH.Pulmonary Langerhans'-cell histiocytosisN Engl J Med 2000 342 1969CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

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