Objective: To describe the imaging, clinical and pathological features of primary pulmonary involvement of NK/T-cell lymphoma.
Methods: The imaging, clinical and pathological features of 2 patients with primary pulmonary involvement of NK/T-cell lymphoma were retrospectively analyzed.
Results: The 2 cases (both young women) of NK/T-cell lymphoma were confirmed with CT-guided percutaneous needle lung biopsy and the lung was the primary involved site. They presented similar clinical features, including fever, dry cough, and progressive tachypnea with hypoxia. Bilateral pulmonary parenchymal nodular consolidations with bilateral pleural fluid were detected at admission chest CT scanning. Air bronchogram and halo signs were found in both the cases. The plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA level was 3.65 x 10(5) copies/ml and 1000 copies/ml respectively. The disease deteriorated progressively and the patients survived only 40d and 66d respectively.
Conclusion: The lungs may be the primary involved sites of NK/T-cell lymphoma and the prognosis is grim.