Favourable outcome of a case of pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis.

Pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis and eosinophilic granuloma are the terms used to describe a Langerhans' cell granulomatous interstitial lung disease of unknown aetiology, occurring predominantly in smokers and involving primarily lungs, bones, skin and lymph nodes. In this report a patient with fever, fatigue, dyspnoea, nocturnal perspiration and thoracic pain is described. The high-resolution computed tomography of the chest and histological examination of lung biopsies suggested the diagnosis of pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis. The disease was limited to the lung, since further investigations did not show any other localization. The patient had a good clinical outcome with avoidance of smoking and steroid therapy. The computed tomography scan follow-up showed a partial resolution of pulmonary lesions.