Imatinib can rarely cause an interstitial lung disease.
Patient selection: long-term therapy with imatinib
Clinical findings:
(1) fever
(2) cough
(3) fine crackles at the lung bases
Imaging studies:
(1) bilateral infiltrates in lower lobes on chest X-ray
(2) ground-glass appearance of basal segments on CT scans
(3) air bronchograms
Lung biopsy shows evidence of interstitial fibrosis.
The diagnosis requires exclusion of:
(1) other causes for interstitial lung disease
(2) infectious diseases.
The patient may show a dramatic clinical response to corticosteroids although the fibrosis may persist.
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Specialty: Hematology Oncology, Pulmonology