Cytomegalic inclusion disease in childhood leukemia

Reported are 2 cases of leukemia with pathologically and virologically proven disseminated CID which showed radiographic evidence of viral pneumonitis prior to death. A review of the literature suggests the incidence of CID to be high in patients who are debilitated or whose defense mechanisms are depressed by chemotherapeutic agents and that disseminated CID may appear as a terminal complication of their disease. CID pneumonitis should be suspected in patients receiving chemotherapy and the suggestion of this possibility by the roentgenologist may aid the clinician in arriving at an earlier diagnosis.