Thoracic Air-Leak Syndrome Complicating Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation

Thoracic air leak syndrome as the sole manifestation of chronic lung graft-versus-host disease: a case report

Background

Thoracic air leak syndrome (TALS) is a rare complication associated with chronic lung graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). In the present case, TALS was the sole pulmonary manifestation of GVHD.

Case presentation

A 30-year-old woman presented with dyspnea on exertion and swelling of the neck and face after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia. She was found to have subcutaneous emphysema, and chest imaging suggested pneumomediastinum, with normal lung parenchyma. Her clinical and radiological findings indicated TALS. There were no other features suggestive of lung GVHD. Her condition improved with conservative management and increased immunosuppression. However, she subsequently had two relapses, developed severe infection and pneumothorax, and died.

Conclusions

The present case report illustrates a unique presentation of TALS, a rare complication of GVHD, in a post-stem cell transplant patient. It highlights the challenges in the diagnosis and management of this condition.

Late pulmonary complications related to cancer treatment in children

As the number of childhood cancer survivors increases, a heightened awareness and recognition of therapy-related late effects is becoming more important. Pulmonary complications are the third leading cause of late mortality in cancer survivors. Diagnosis of these complications on chest imaging helps facilitate prompt treatment to mitigate adverse outcomes. In this review, we summarize the imaging of late pulmonary complications of cancer therapy in children and highlight characteristic findings that should be recognized by radiologists.