Lymphocytic Interstitial Pneumonia

Abstract

Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) is a rare lung disease on the spectrum of benign pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorders. LIP is frequently associated with connective tissue diseases or infections. Idiopathic LIP is rare; every attempt must be made to diagnose underlying conditions when LIP is diagnosed. Computed tomography of the chest in patients with LIP may reveal ground-glass opacities, centrilobular and subpleural nodules, and randomly distributed thin-walled cysts. Demonstrating polyclonality with immunohistochemistry is the key to differentiating LIP from lymphoma. The 5-year mortality remains between 33% and 50% and is likely to vary based on the underlying disease process.

Keywords: Cystic lung disease; Interstitial lung disease; Interstitial lung disease in HIV-positive patients; Interstitial lung disease in Sjögren syndrome; Polyclonal lymphoid lung infiltrates; Pseudolymphoma; Pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorders.