Reversed halo sign on CT as a presentation of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia

J Radiol Case Rep. 2013 Oct 1;7(10):51-6. doi: 10.3941/jrcr.v7i10.1517. eCollection 2013 Oct.

Abstract

A 52 year-old African American female with a past medical history of symptomatic uterine fibroids and increasing abdominal circumference underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) as part of her workup. Because of an abnormality in the left lower lobe, CT of the chest was subsequently performed and showed a focal region of discontinuous crescentic consolidation with central ground glass opacification in the right lower lobe, suggestive of the reversed halo sign. The patient underwent percutaneous CT-guided core biopsy of the lesion, which demonstrated lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, a benign lymphoproliferative disease characterized histologically by small lymphocytes and plasma cells. This case report describes the first histologically confirmed presentation of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia with the reversed halo sign on CT.

Keywords: CT; Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia; Reversed halo sign.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image-Guided Biopsy / methods
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods

Supplementary concepts

  • Lymphoid Interstitial Pneumonia