Reversed Halo Sign on CT as a Presentation of Lymphocytic Interstitial Pneumonia

Authors

  • Marcus Denard Freeman
  • Joseph R. Grajo
  • Neel D. Karamsadkar
  • Thora S. Steffensen
  • Todd R. Hazelton

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3941/jrcr.v7i10.1517

Keywords:

Reversed halo sign, Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, CT

Abstract

A 52 year-old African American female with a past medical history of symptomatic uterine fibroids and increasing abdominal circumference underwent abdominal computed tomography (CT) as part of her workup.  Because of an abnormality in the left lower lobe, CT of the chest was subsequently performed and showed a focal region of discontinuous crescentic consolidation with central ground glass opacification in the right lower lobe, suggestive of the reversed halo sign.  The patient underwent percutaneous CT-guided core biopsy of the lesion, which demonstrated lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, a benign lymphoproliferative disease characterized histologically by small lymphocytes and plasma cells.  This case report describes the first histologically confirmed presentation of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia with the reversed halo sign on CT.

Author Biographies

Marcus Denard Freeman

Resident

Department of Radiology

University of South Florida

Joseph R. Grajo

Chief Resident

Department of Radiology 

University of South Florida

Neel D. Karamsadkar

Resident

Department of Radiology 

University of South Florida

Thora S. Steffensen

Pathologist

Department of Pathology

Tampa General Hospital

Todd R. Hazelton

Professor and Chair

Department of Radiology 

University of South Florida

Published

2013-10-23

Issue

Section

Signs in Radiology