title: An overview of thoracic actinomycosis: CT features.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thoracic actinomycosis is an uncommon, chronic suppurative bacterial infection caused by actinomyces species, especially Actinomyces israelii.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is usually seen in immunocompetent patients with respiratory disorders, poor oral hygiene, alcoholism and chronic debilitating diseases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We illustrate the radiological manifestations of thoracic actinomycoses in various involved areas in the thorax.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thoracic actinomycosis can be radiologically divided into the parenchymal type, the airway type including bronchiectasis, the endobronchial form, and the mediastinum or chest wall involvement type.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Important risk factors for thoracic actinomycosis are underlying respiratory disorders such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. • Different CT patterns can be distinguished in thoracic actinomycosis: parenchymal, bronchiectatic, endobronchial and extrapulmonary. • Typical CT findings in the parenchymal pattern are a central low density within the parenchymal consolidation and adjacent pleural thickening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dong-A University Medical Center, 3-1, Dongdaesin-Dong, Seo-Gu, Busan, 602-715, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Ki-Nam
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae Kyo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yun Hyeon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seok Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yeon Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Mee-Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Pil Jo
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Choi