ABSTRACT
Myeloid leukemias are clonal malignancies characterized by the presence of increased
numbers of immature myeloid cells in the marrow and peripheral blood. Pulmonary involvement
by myeloid leukemia is relatively uncommon and seen mainly in patients with severe
disease. The most common form of pulmonary involvement consists of leukemic infiltration
along the lymphatics in the peribronchovascular, septal, and pleural interstitial
tissue. Less common manifestations include myeloid sarcoma, leukostasis, leukemic
cell lysis pneumopathy, and hyperleukocytic reaction. The radiological manifestations
of pulmonary leukemic cell infiltration and leukostasis consist mainly of bilateral
thickening of the peribronchovascular interstitium and interlobular septa, a pattern
that resembles that of interstitial pulmonary edema. The radiological manifestations
of leukemic cell lysis pneumopathy and hyperleukocytic reaction consist of symmetric
bilateral areas of consolidation. This manuscript reviews the histological and radiological
intrathoracic manifestations of myelogenous leukemias.
KEYWORDS
Leukemia - myeloid leukemia - radiography - computed tomography - lung diseases
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Nestor L MüllerM.D. Ph.D.
Department of Radiology, Vancouver General Hospital, University of British Columbia
899 W. 12th Ave., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 1M9
eMail: nmuller@vanhosp.bc.ca
