Spontaneous Regression of Pulmonary Nodules Presenting as Epstein-Barr Virus-related Atypical Infectious Mononucleosis.
Pulmonary nodules associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related atypical infectious mononucleosis have rarely been described.



A 12-year-old Japanese boy, upon admission, revealed multiple small round nodules (a total of 7 nodules in 4 to 8 mm size) in the lungs on computed tomography. The hemorrhagic pharyngeal tonsils with hot signals on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography-computed tomography were biopsied revealing the presence of EBV-encoded small nuclear RNA (EBER)-positive cells; however, no lymphoma was noted. The patient was diagnosed as having atypical EBV-infectious mononucleosis associated with primary EBV infection. Pulmonary nodules markedly reduced in numbers and sizes spontaneously over a 2-year period.



Differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules in childhood should include atypical EBV infection.
Divisions of *Pediatrics ‡Laboratory Medicine, Uji-Tokushukai Medical Center, Uji †Department of Molecular Genetics and Laboratory Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Jun
J
Shinozuka
Hitoshi
H
Awaguni
Shin-Ichiro
S
Tanaka
Shigeru
S
Makino
Rikken
R
Maruyama
Tohru
T
Inaba
Shinsaku
S
Imashuku
D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D055613:Multiple Pulmonary Nodules / Q000175:diagnosis*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D012367:RNA, Viral