Chickenpox-related pulmonary granulomas in immunocompetent adults: clinicopathologic and molecular features of an underrated occurrence

Am J Surg Pathol. 2012 Oct;36(10):1497-502. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0b013e31825fa4d8.

Abstract

Pulmonary granulomas represent a common inflammatory reaction to several lung infective or noninfective diseases. However, little is known about the histology and clinical presentation of chickenpox-related granulomas in immunocompetent subjects. We collected a series of 8 adult patients (mean age, 40 y; range, 33 to 53 y) with several bilateral pulmonary granulomas incidentally discovered after imaging studies. All patients were asymptomatic and had experienced a varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection as adults but were clinically suspected to have a metastatic neoplasm of unknown origin. Chest computed tomography scan revealed numerous, tiny (few millimeters to 1 cm in size) nodules randomly dispersed through the lungs. Positron emission tomography scan performed in 4 patients was negative. All patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical resection and were still alive and well. At histology, granulomas consisted of well-defined, rounded, small nodules centered by a deeply eosinophilic, acellular necrosis rimmed by lamellar dense collagen and a chronic inflammatory infiltrate with or without multinucleated giant cells. Chickenpox-related granulomas were included in the differential diagnosis along with several other granulomatous diseases. Polymerase chain reaction-based molecular analysis for VZV performed on paraffin sections detected VZV DNA in all 8 cases. By contrast, 85 cases of pulmonary granulomas of different etiologies were simultaneously studied by molecular analysis with negative results. Pathologists should be familiar with the peculiar morphologic appearance of chickenpox-related granulomas. A careful search for a history of VZV infection in adulthood and molecular studies may be very helpful in confirming the diagnosis.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chickenpox / diagnosis
  • Chickenpox / pathology*
  • Chickenpox / virology
  • DNA, Viral / analysis
  • Female
  • Granuloma, Respiratory Tract / diagnosis
  • Granuloma, Respiratory Tract / pathology*
  • Granuloma, Respiratory Tract / virology
  • Herpesvirus 3, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 3, Human / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Immunocompetence*
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung / virology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Prospective Studies
  • Radiography, Thoracic
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • DNA, Viral