title: Nosocomial rapidly growing mycobacterial infections following laparoscopic surgery: CT imaging findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the distribution and frequency of computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with nosocomial rapidly growing mycobacterial (RGM) infection after laparoscopic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive retrospective study in patients with RGM infection after laparoscopic surgery who underwent CT imaging prior to initiation of therapy. The images were analyzed by two radiologists in consensus, who evaluated the skin/subcutaneous tissues, the abdominal wall, and intraperitoneal region separately. The patterns of involvement were tabulated as: densification, collections, nodules (≥1.0 cm), small nodules (<1.0 cm), pseudocavitated nodules, and small pseudocavitated nodules.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-six patients met the established criteria. The subcutaneous findings were: densification (88.5%), small nodules (61.5%), small pseudocavitated nodules (23.1 %), nodules (38.5%), pseudocavitated nodules (15.4%), and collections (26.9%). The findings in the abdominal wall were: densification (61.5%), pseudocavitated nodules (3.8%), and collections (15.4%). The intraperitoneal findings were: densification (46.1%), small nodules (42.3%), nodules (15.4%), and collections (11.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subcutaneous CT findings in descending order of frequency were: densification, small nodules, nodules, small pseudocavitated nodules, pseudocavitated nodules, and collections. The musculo-fascial plane CT findings were: densification, collections, and pseudocavitated nodules. The intraperitoneal CT findings were: densification, small nodules, nodules, and collections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Rapidly growing mycobacterial infection may occur following laparoscopy. • Post-laparoscopy mycobacterial infection CT findings are densification, collection, and nodules. • Rapidly growing mycobacterial infection following laparoscopy may involve the peritoneal cavity. • Post-laparoscopy rapidly growing mycobacterial intraperitoneal infection is not associated with ascites or lymphadenopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Cassiano Antonio de Moraes University Hospital, Av. Marechal Campos, 1468, Vitoria, ES, 29040-091, Brazil, richard_volpato@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Volpato
authors.forename: Claudio Campi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: David Jamil
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hadad
authors.forename: Flavya
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: da Silva Souza Ribeiro
authors.forename: Ezequiel Leal
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.forename: Leonardo P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Marcal
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000382:microbiology; D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000382:microbiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D040521:Subcutaneous Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult