Pulmonary extramedullary hematopoiesis

J Thorac Imaging. 2008 May;23(2):138-41. doi: 10.1097/RTI.0b013e31815b89aa.

Abstract

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is the formation and development of blood cells outside of the bone marrow. Of particular interest to chest physicians and radiologists is the occurrence of EMH in the lungs and pleura. There have been several reports of patients presenting with pulmonary EMH published in the literature and the majority are due to a secondary process, such as myeloproliferative disorders, hemolytic anemias, hereditary spherocytosis, and Gaucher disease. We present a case report of pulmonary EMH and a review of the literature concentrating on the etiology, clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy for this uncommon disorder.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anemia, Hemolytic / etiology
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arthritis / complications
  • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Dry Eye Syndromes / etiology
  • Dyspnea / etiology
  • Female
  • Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Lung Diseases / drug therapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Pleural Effusion / etiology
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis / complications
  • Raynaud Disease / etiology
  • Sjogren's Syndrome / complications
  • Sjogren's Syndrome / drug therapy
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / complications
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Vasculitis / complications

Substances

  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Azathioprine