TY - JOUR T1 - Intrathoracic extramedullary haematopoiesis complicated by massive haemothorax in alpha-thalassaemia JF - Thorax JO - Thorax SP - 466 LP - 468 DO - 10.1136/thx.54.5.466 VL - 54 IS - 5 AU - Kuo-An Chu AU - Ruay-Sheng Lai AU - Chien-Hong Lee AU - Jau-Yeong Lu AU - Huang-Chou Chang AU - Hung-Ting Chiang Y1 - 1999/05/01 UR - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/54/5/466.abstract N2 - Intrathoracic extramedullary haematopoiesis (EMH) is a rare entity that is usually asymptomatic. A 44 year old man with alpha-thalassaemia is described who developed dyspnoea and massive left sided haemothorax. The haemoglobin disorder was established by Hgb H staining and haemoglobin electrophoretic studies. The DNA analysis revealed it to be a case of double heterozygous terminal codon mutation with the genotype ααCS/ααT. Computed tomographic scanning and magnetic resonance imaging of the thorax showed multiple paravertebral masses which were found by thoracoscopic biopsy to be extramedullary haematopoiesis. Although no additional sclerosing pleurodesis or low dose radiation therapy was given, the lung expanded well and there has been no recurrence of haemothorax to date. ER -