Pulmonary intravascular lymphoma diagnosed by 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-guided transbronchial lung biopsy in a man with long-term survival: A case report

Abstract

Introduction. 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography can detect the pulmonary involvement of intravascular lymphoma that presents no abnormality in a computed tomography scan. Case presentation. We report the case of a 61-year-old Japanese man who had pulmonary intravascular lymphoma and no computed tomography abnormality. We were able to make an antemortem diagnosis of pulmonary intravascular lymphoma by transbronchial lung biopsy according to 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography findings. He is free of recurrent disease 24 months after chemotherapy. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a long-term survivor of pulmonary intravascular lymphoma diagnosed by transbronchial lung biopsy under the guide of 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. © 2011 Niida et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.