Idiopathic pulmonary veno-occlusive disease

Intern Med. 2009;48(15):1289-92. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.48.1935. Epub 2009 Aug 3.

Abstract

We report a case of idiopathic pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD). The patient experienced progressively worsening dyspnea. Heart catheterization revealed severe pulmonary hypertension. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) showed diffuse, poorly identified centrilobular ground-glass opacities. Surgical lung biopsy led to the diagnosis of PVOD. A microscopic examination revealed occlusions of pulmonary veins and venules over a wide area with prominent loop-like capillary dilatations. These pathological findings may be correlated with the radiological characteristics of HRCT in this case.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / diagnosis
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / physiopathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Pulmonary Veins / pathology
  • Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease / diagnosis*
  • Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease / pathology
  • Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease / physiopathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed