RADIOLOGICAL FINDINGS OF HUMAN FASCIOLIASIS

Fasciola hepatica is a trematode of herbivorous mammals. Humans are ac cidentally infected by the ingestion of water or raw aquatic vegetable s contaminated with the metacercaria. Radiological findings of six pat ients with fascioliasis (five hepatic fascioliasis, one biliary fascio liasis) were analyzed. The diagnosis was based on serologic testing an d/or histopathologic findings of eosinophilic abscess in five patients and identification of the adult worm in one patient. The characterist ic radiological features of hepatic fascioliasis were (1) cluster of m icroabscesses arranged in tract-like fashion (burrow tract), (2) subca psular location of the hepatic lesions, and (3) very slow evolution of the lesion on follow-up examinations. In biliary fascioliasis, there were multiple conglomerated filling defects in the common bile duct. T he authors believe that the demonstration of these features, together with peripheral eosinophilia or eosinophilic aspirate from the hepatic lesion, is very helpful in making the correct diagnosis.