Pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma with associated elevation in serum and tissue IgG4 occurring in a patient with a history of sarcoidosis.

Abstract

Pulmonary hyalinizing granulomas (PHGs) are unusual fibrosclerotic inflammatory lung lesions. The organ-based manifestations of the recently defined IgG4-related sclerosing disease typically show dense fibrosis and heavy lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates. IgG4-related sclerosing disease is also defined by increased serum IgG4 levels and increased tissue levels of IgG4-positive plasma cells. The morphologic features of PHG overlap with those seen in IgG4-related sclerosing disease, and this suggests that PHG may be a form of IgG4-related sclerosing disease. We present a case of a 51-year-old man with a history of sarcoidosis who presented with slowly enlarging pulmonary nodules. Histologic evaluation of one of the nodules yielded a diagnosis of PHG. Further investigation demonstrated both elevated serum IgG4 and elevated tissue IgG4-positive plasma cells in the PHG. In previous reports, lesions that are now considered part of IgG4-related sclerosing disease were documented in patients also diagnosed with PHG, although these reports date from before the description of IgG4 sclerosing disease. This case provides the first definitive evidence that PHG is part of the spectrum of IgG4-related sclerosing disease.