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Ritalin lung

Dr MT Niknejad and Radswiki et al.

Ritalin lung describes pulmonary changes induced by IV exposure to methylphenidate (Ritalin).

Radiographic features

HRCT chest

It classically gives pan-lobular emphysematous change ^1,4.

Differential diagnosis

General imaging differential considerations include

alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency : lung changes can be almost indistinguishable on imaging ¹
vanishing lung syndrome : tends to have more giant bullous spaces with para-septal empysema ³

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References

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1. Stern EJ, Frank MS, Schmutz JF et-al. Panlobular pulmonary emphysema caused by i.v. injection of methylphenidate (Ritalin): findings on chest radiographs and CT scans. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1994;162 (3): 555-60. AJR Am J Roentgenol (abstract) - Pubmed citation
2. Sherman CB, Hudson LD, Pierson DJ. Severe precocious emphysema in intravenous methylphenidate (Ritalin) abusers. Chest. 1987;92 (6): 1085-7. doi:10.1378/chest.92.6.1085 - Pubmed citation
3. Sharma N, Justaniah AM, Kanne JP et-al. Vanishing lung syndrome (giant bullous emphysema): CT findings in 7 patients and a literature review. J Thorac Imaging. 2009;24 (3): 227-30. doi:10.1097/RTI.0b013e31819b9f2a - Pubmed citation
4. Schmidt RA, Glenny RW, Godwin JD et-al. Panlobular emphysema in young intravenous Ritalin abusers. Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. 1991;143 (3): 649-56. - Pubmed citation

Synonyms & Alternative Spellings

Synonyms or Alternative Spelling	Include in Listings?
Lung changes from IV methypnenidate exposure	✗
Pulmonary changes from IV methypnenidate exposure	✗
Methylphenidate lung	✗
Ritalin induced lung disease	✗