[Bilateral pneumonia after localized irradiation of a thymoma. Description of a case].
Acute pneumonitis characterized by fever, coughing and moderate dyspnea can appear from 6 to 12 weeks after irradiation. Most patients later show signs of fibrosis confined to the irradiated field. An entity that has been under recent discussion is "radiation-induced sporadic pneumonitis", a bilateral lymphocytic alveolitis of autoimmune origin that leads to generalized pulmonary response after local irradiation. The prognosis for such cases is good. We report a case of early post-irradiation pneumonitis of the type described, which led unexpectedly to the patient's death.
Andreo García
F
F
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona.
Garro Martínez
P
P
Torrabadella de Reynoso
P
P
Ojanguren Sabán
I
I
Esquirol Puig
X
X
Mesalles Sanjuán
E
E
D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017564:Radiation Pneumonitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013945:Thymoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*