Focal radiation fibrosis after radioimmunotherapy for follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Abstract

A 75-year-old man with relapsed follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma confined to a solitary lung mass was treated with radioimmunotherapy (RIT) using yttrium 90-ibritumomab tiuxetan. Imaging with positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed a complete response 3 months after RIT. Thirteen months after RIT, his positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan showed a fluorodeoxyglucose-avid infiltrate in the area of the previous lung mass. Bronchoscopy revealed the area to be obstructed with fibrosis, and cytologic washings and brushings did not show lymphoma. The patient remains asymptomatic, and the fluorodeoxyglucoseavid pulmonary infiltrate was unchanged 19 months after RIT. In view of the lack of respiratory symptoms or progressive imaging abnormalities, we believe radiation fibrosis is the most likely etiology. Radiation-induced lung injury after therapy with yttrium 90 was previously reported in the setting of intraarterial microspheres used to treat inoperable hepatic tumors. This is the first case in which radiation-induced radiographic changes are reported after RIT for lymphoma.