Pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorders with affinity to lymphoma: a clinicopathoradiologic study of 16 cases

Pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorders include plasma cell granuloma, Castleman's disease, pseudolymphoma, lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy and lymphomatoid granulomatosis. We carried out a retrospective study for the purpose of analysing the clinical and radiological findings of 16 cases of pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorders seen during the decade 1980-1990. The cases comprised 8 lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, 5 lymphomatoid granulomatosis, 2 plasma cell granuloma and 1 angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy. Owing to the overlap and low specificity of the radiological patterns in these processes, histopathological examination is required. In view of the frequent evolution of pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorders to malignant lymphoma (4 cases, 1 of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia and 3 of lymphomatoid granulomatosis, in our series) we provide a description of the radiological changes that occur during this process. (orig.)