Background: Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) represent approximately 10% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Pulmonary involvement is an uncommon manifestation of this heterogeneous group of malignancies.

Methods: Report of a case.

Results: This case report describes a 75-year-old man with fever, weight loss, anemia, enlargement of spleen and liver, atypical lymphocytes and pulmonary nodules. Lung biopsy showed lymphocytic infiltration of the lung parenchyma. T-cell receptor gamma gene rearrangement by polymerase chain reaction confirmed the diagnosis of peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Unfortunately, the patient died because of refractory and aggressive disease.

Conclusions: Pulmonary and pleural involvement are seen in patients with PTCL and usually carry a poor prognosis. The subject of pulmonary involvement in peripheral T-cell lymphoma is discussed.