ALVEOLAR HEMORRHAGE WITH PLEURAL EFFUSION AS A MANIFESTATION OF EPITHELIOID HEMANGIOENDOTHELIOMA

A 22 year old male was admitted with haemoptysis. A chest X-ray showed bilateral confluent alveolar infiltrates. Bronchoscopy revealed blood oozing from all bronchopulmonary segments. Open lung biopsy disclosed bilateral effusions and large necrotizing nodules with pleural adhesions. Histological examination showed tumour cells, which were negative to epithelial and embryogenic markers but positive to factor VIII. This confirmed the diagnosis of an epithelioid haemangioendothelioma. This rare tumour, usually has an indolent course, whereas in our case it was complicated by alveolar and intrapleural bleeding.