Unusual radiological presentation of sirolimus-associated pneumonitis

Abstract

Sirolimus-associated pneumonitis, a rare but serious drug-induced lung injury, has become a great concern clinically, because of the increasing use of sirolimus (rapamycin) in patients who have been subjected to solid organ transplantation. We report sirolimus-associated pneumonitis in two women who underwent renal transplantation. At variance with previous reports, the radiological findings shown on chest radiographs and computed tomography scans of the chest in these two cases were consolidation lesions mainly with minimal interstitial abnormalities. Our reported cases highlight that awareness of various radiological findings of sirolimus-associated pneumonitis is pivotal for physicians to make early diagnosis of the disorder in patients who have undergone solid organ transplantation.

Keywords: lung toxicity; pneumonitis; rapamycin; sirolimus; solid organ transplantation.