title: Primary anaplastic large cell lymphoma of the lung presenting with acute atelectasis.
abstract: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma only rarely occurs as a primary lung mass. We report a very rare case of primary pulmonary anaplastic large cell lymphoma presenting with acute atelectasis in a 55-year-old man. Chest computed tomography revealed a consolidated central mass in the left lung with obstructive pneumonia that had developed into total atelectasis. After a bronchoscopic examination failed to yield a definite diagnosis, supraclavicular lymph node biopsy was performed, revealing an anaplastic large cell lymphoma. This case illustrates the need for rapidly locating a possible biopsy site, other than the primary lung mass itself, and the value of empirical steroid treatment for avoiding devastating exacerbation when aggressive pulmonary lymphoma is suspected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jeju National University Hospital Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Maeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jeju National University Hospital Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sill
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung Mi
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo Kun
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Jeju National University Hospital Jeju, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Ok
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Lung; lymphoma; pulmonary atelectasis