Pleural thickening. An unusual feature of childhood leukemia

Abstract

Pleural disease is an unusual manifestation of childhood leukemia. Three cases are presented which illustrate a definite association between leukemia and pleural thickening. In two patients, there was bilateral diffuse pleural thickening and, in the other, there were unilateral pleural-based masses. Pleural disease may be the initial or only thoracic manifestation of leukemia, or it may occur in combination with other intrathoracic evidence of leukemia.