Background An outbreak of Marburg hemorrhagic fever was first observed in a gold-mining village in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in October 1998.

This study describes the chest radiographs of 50 adult patients with histologically verified histiocytosis X, proposes a radiological classification, and examines the role of radiology in assessing the prognosis of the disease. Radiologically the lesions predominate in the middle and lower lung fields, usually sparing the costophrenic angles, and are typically micronodular, reticular, or cystic. These features are especially suggestive of histiocytosis X if lung volume is normal or increased, there is an associated pneumothorax, they occur in a young male and there are no other intrathoracic changes (pleural or mediastinal). The three evolutionary patterns of improvement, stabilisation, and worsening are analysed with respect to the initial radiological features; one which carries a good prognosis is sparing of both costophrenic angles.Pulmonary histiocytosis X (HX) is a chronic interstitial disease characterised by the presence of multiple specific granulomas which contain many Langerhans cells.The radiological features of this disease comprise nodular, reticulonodular, or honeycomb patterns which classically appear "predominantly in the upper lung fields".' However, in our experience the radiographic findings often depart from the classic description.The aims of this study, therefore, were: (1) to use a defined group of adults with HX to describe the chest radiological features of the disease; (2) to develop a qualitative method of analysing the chest radiographs; and (3) Follow-up information extending from one to 12 years was available for 37 patients; 26 of these were followed for over three years (mean = 5 4 years). RADIOGRAPHIC STUDYOnly posteroanterior chest radiographs were considered; tomography was not included. In assessing prognosis, special attention was paid to the earliest and latest films.

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