title: Atypical CT findings of isolated pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis in a 4-year-old boy.
abstract: A 4-year old boy was admitted to hospital with progressive respiratory failure. A chest roentgenogram revealed hyperinflated lungs and a diffuse reticular pattern. There was no smoking history in the family environment. A thin slice computed tomography of the lungs exhibited extended and diffuse cystic lung disease with no zonal predominance. An open lung biopsy showed pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis. No other organs were involved. Despite treatment initiation the boy succumbed to his pulmonary insufficiency 3 weeks later. Isolated pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis in children may have an unfavorable prognosis and in contrast with adults, it may present on computed tomography with lower lobe predominance and without sparing the lung bases or the anterior parts of middle lobe and lingula.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Democritus University of Thrace, Dragana, Alexandroupolis, Greece. aoikonom@med.duth.gr
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oikonomou
authors.forename: Panos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prassopoulos
authors.forename: Prodromos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hytiroglou
authors.forename: Fotios V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Kirvassilis
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Tsanakas
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005183:Failure to Thrive; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006646:Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011665:Pulmonary Valve Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D035583:Rare Diseases; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*