Abstract
Clinical and pathological examinations were conducted on a case of desquamative interstitial pneumonia.
A 30 year-old male was admitted to hospital, complaining of dyspnea, and showing an acinar pattern on his chest X-ray. The sputum revealed collections of alveolar macrophages, some of which were foamy. An open lung biopsy was performed in order to obtain a definite diagnosis.
Microscopically large mononuclear cells filled the alveolar spaces, and no hyaline membrane was present. Thickening of the alveolar walls with lymphocyte infiltration was found partially.
Electron-microscopically intraalveolar cells showed the features of alveolar macrophages. The basement membrane was intact.
