Invasive aspergillosis of the airways: radiographic, CT, and pathologic findings.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the radiographic, computed tomographic (CT), and pathologic findings in invasive aspergillosis of the airways.


METHODS
The study included nine consecutive patients (aged 17-65 years [median, 49 years]) with pathologically proved invasive aspergillosis of the airways. All nine underwent chest radiography and seven underwent CT within 3 days of diagnosis.


RESULTS
The radiographic findings include normal parenchyma (n = 1), unilateral consolidation (n = 1), bilateral consolidation (n = 5), and ill-defined nodules (n = 2). The main findings at CT included lobar consolidation (n = 1), bilateral predominantly peribronchial consolidation (n = 3), ground-glass attenuation (n = 1), and centrilobular nodules less than 5 mm in diameter (n = 2). At pathologic examination, the peribronchial infiltrates represented bronchopneumonia and the nodules represented Aspergillus bronchiolitis with a variable degree of peribronchiolar organizing pneumonia and hemorrhage.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiographic findings of invasive aspergillosis of the airways consist of consolidation or ill-defined nodules. At CT, the consolidation can be seen to be peribronchial and the nodules centrilobular.
Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
P M
PM
Logan
S L
SL
Primack
R R
RR
Miller
N L
NL
Müller
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology; D001995:Bronchography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed