BILATERAL PLEURAL EFFUSION DUE TO MEDIASTINAL FIBROSIS INDUCED BY RADIOTHERAPY

A diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease was made 20 years ago in a 37-year-ol d woman; treatment included thoracic irradiation and chemotherapy. She was considered cured and remained well up to one year before, when sh e developed bilateral pleural effusion. No evidence of activity of Hod gkin's disease was detected. The pleural liquid was an exudate, with l ymphocytic predominance. On thoracoscopy, enlarged lymphatic channels in the visceral pleura were noted, with tissue confirmation. To our kn owledge, this report is the first to confirm by thoracoscopy and histo logic study the proposed pathophysiologic condition of this uncommon e ntity.