Angiotropic large-cell lymphoma presenting as pulmonary small vessel occlusive disease

Angiotropic lymphoma (AL) is an unusual variant of extranodal lymphoma, cha racterized by massive proliferation of neoplastic lymphoid cells almost exc lusively within blood vessels. Whereas the lymphoid origin of this disease is widely accepted it still remains unclear whether AL is a distinct entity that originates in the blood vessels or whether it represents a form of se condary intravascular dissemination of a primary solid lymphoma, The presen t case is unusual because death by right heart failure owing to extensive i ntravascular proliferation of neoplastic cells and subsequent occlusion of pulmonary blood vessels has not been described so far. In addition, the pat ient had suffered from a solid deposit of a large-cell B-lymphoma months be fore the angiotropic manifestation, suggesting that AL might develop out of more common types of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, Copyright (C) 2000 by W.B. S aunders Company.