Cystic and emphysematous lung disease in neurofibromatosis type 1 – A case report

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder associated with an elevated risk of both benign and malignant tumors. In rare cases, it involves the lungs in a condition known as neurofibromatosis-associated diffuse lung disease (NF-DLD), marked by cystic and emphysematous changes even in nonsm...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nouman Aziz, MD, Waseem Nabi, MD, Sukhrob Makhkamov, DO, Ali Usama, MD, Yasmine Elsherif, MD, Sonu Sahni, MD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Radiology Case Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1930043325005886
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder associated with an elevated risk of both benign and malignant tumors. In rare cases, it involves the lungs in a condition known as neurofibromatosis-associated diffuse lung disease (NF-DLD), marked by cystic and emphysematous changes even in nonsmokers. We report a case of a 53-year-old female with NF1 who presented with progressive chest pain and dyspnea. Imaging revealed a 6.0 × 3.1 cm left posterior chest wall mass with osseous erosion and emphysematous lung changes consistent with NF-DLD. Multidisciplinary management, including surgical resection of the chest wall mass, led to symptom relief and an uneventful recovery. This case underscores the importance of recognizing NF-DLD in NF1 patients with respiratory symptoms and the need for ongoing surveillance for malignancies to ensure early diagnosis and appropriate intervention.
ISSN:1930-0433