PULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS - IMAGING FINDINGS WITH PATHOLOGICAL CORRELATION

Pulmonary involvement with Aspergillus fumigatus is varied and largely dependent on the patient's underlying pulmonary and immune status. Hy persensitivity reactions from inhalation of spores can cause acute all ergic alveolitis, and bronchial colonization can cause allergic bronch opulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). The latter is found mainly in patient s with asthma or cystic fibrosis. Mycetomas develop from secondary col onization of preexisting lung cavities. Invasive and semiinvasive aspe rgillosis affect mostly patients with altered immune status [1]. This essay illustrates the radiologic findings of pulmonary aspergillosis a nd shows the correlation between the imaging and pathologic findings.