Endogenous lipid/obstructive pneumonia
Endogenous lipid pneumonia/obstructive pneumonia is characterized by the filling of air spaces with foamy, lipid-laden macrophages. The usual cause is airway obstruction; hence the term obstructive pneumonia. Because lipid imparts a yellowish color when seen grossly it has also been called 'golden pneumonia". The gross photograph and X-ray show endogenous lipid/obstructive pneumonia distal to a large squamous carcinoma which is obstructing a major bronchus. The lipid is phospholipid, derived from breakdown of cells and surfactant distal to airway obstruction. The appearance of the foamy, granular macrophages differs markedly from aspirated lipid which appears as extracellular and intracellular vacuoles of varying size in exogenous lipid pneumonia.
Image contributed by Dr. Yale Rosen - @yro854
Endogenous lipid/obstructive pneumonia
Endogenous lipid pneumonia/obstructive pneumonia is characterized by the filling of air spaces with foamy, lipid-laden macrophages. The usual cause is airway obstruction; hence the term obstructive pneumonia. Because lipid imparts a yellowish color when seen grossly it has also been called 'golden pneumonia". The gross photograph and X-ray show endogenous lipid/obstructive pneumonia distal to a large squamous carcinoma which is obstructing a major bronchus. The lipid is phospholipid, derived from breakdown of cells and surfactant distal to airway obstruction. The appearance of the foamy, granular macrophages differs markedly from aspirated lipid which appears as extracellular and intracellular vacuoles of varying size in exogenous lipid pneumonia.
Image contributed by Dr. Yale Rosen - @yro854