Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Thorax, Lung, Management, CT, CT-High Resolution, Education, eLearning, Infection, Pathology
Authors:
E. Lambeets1, R. Peters1, B. Peters2; 1Halle/BE, 2Edegem, Antwerpen/BE
DOI:
10.26044/ecr2019/C-2125
Background
Aspergillosis is a mycotic disease caused by aspergillus.
Aspergillus particularly affect immunocompromised individuals and structural abnormal lungs.
The most important Aspergillus species are A.
fumigatus,
A.
flavus and A.
clavatus.
Depending on the patients underlying immune status,
the load of the organisms and the underlying condition of the lungs the infection can manifest as a variety of forms.
Radiological investigations particularly chest Computed Tomography (CT) provides the easiest,
rapid and decision making information.
CT shows us typical patterns,
extent and complications of aspergillus infection.
Pulmonary aspergillosis can be subdivided into four categories: invasive aspergillosis,
semi-invasive aspergillosis,
allergic aspergillosis (including allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and hypersensitivity) and aspergilloma.
Invasive aspergillosis is the most severe and aggressive form occuring in patients with decreased immunity.
Aspergillus infection will lead to invasion of viable lung tissue resulting in pulmonary necrosis and haemorrhage.
Semi-invasive aspergillosis or chronic necrotizing aspergillosis is a slow-growing disease associated with preexisting lung abnormalities.
Vascular invasion or dissemination to other organs is unusual.
Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is the result of hypersensitivity towards aspergillus spp leading to bronchial wall damage leading to bronchiectasis (typically central saccular bronchiectasis).
Aspergilloma is the most common and best-recognised form of pulmonary aspergillosis.
The fungus ball develops in a pre-existing cavity in the lung.
Supine and pronce CT may likewise demonstrate intracavitary mobility of aspergilloma.
We present an overview of pulmonary aspergillosis with typically imaging features on CT.