Clinical Image. MRI of Thoracic Actinomycosis

Wand, Austin; Gilbert, Holly M.; Litvack, Bonnie; Markísz, John A.

doi:10.1097/00004728-199609000-00016

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…There is limited information on both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in pulmonary actinomycosis [48,50]. Most of the published series are small retrospective studies.…”

Section: Computerised Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pulmonary actinomycosis

Mabeza¹,

Macfarlane²

2003

Eur Respir J

329

424

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Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare but important and challenging diagnosis to make. Even when the clinical suspicion is high, the disease is commonly confused with other chronic suppurative lung diseases and with malignancy.An early, accurate diagnosis will prevent the considerable psychological and physical morbidity, including unwarranted surgery, associated with delayed diagnosis.The clinical, radiological and therapeutic characteristics of the infection are reviewed here.Respiratory physicians should be aware of this important differential when investigating patients for persistent pulmonary shadowing. This will expedite the diagnosis of an otherwise highly treatable condition with an excellent prognosis if picked up early.

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Section: Computerised Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although there is considerable data on the use of MRI in other forms of actinomycosis, such as in the central nervous system, there is little data for its use in the thoracic form [50]. Part of the reason may be the attendant problems associated with imaging the chest using MRI.…”

Section: Computerised Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pulmonary actinomycosis

Mabeza¹,

Macfarlane²

2003

Eur Respir J

329

424

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“…Radiographic examinations demonstrate pulmonary infiltration, cavitary lesion, tumour-like mass [3,6,8,13]. Also they may demonstrate bone changes and pleural involvement [11,13].…”

Section: Ai Taştepe Et Al / European Journal Of Cardio-thoracic Sumentioning

confidence: 99%

Thoracic actinomycosis

Taştepe

Ulaşan

Liman

et al. 1998

European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery

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Objective: Thoracic actinomycosis is a disease that is difficult to diagnose because its appearance varies from similarities with bronchogenic carcinoma to pneumonitis-like tuberculosis infections. Therefore the majority of patients undergo operations for diagnosis. We had seven patients with thoracic actinomycosis which were not diagnosed before operation. Methods: Between July 1990 and November 1997, seven patients with thoracic actinomycosis were diagnosed after thoracotomy in our centre. They all had non-specific symptoms and radiographic findings, so we failed to diagnose the disease during preoperative examinations. Therefore they all underwent thoracotomy for diagnosis. Four patients were operated because of suspicion of malignancy, two patients were operated because of pulmonary infiltration and abscess formation and one patient because of undiagnosed pulmonary infiltration. Lobectomy was performed in five of them because of destroyed lobes, and wedge resection was performed in two patients. In two patients the disease was diagnosed by fresh smears obtained from specimens in the course of operation and confirmed histopathologically and in the others histopathologically in the postoperative period. Results: Three major complications, acute renal failure, empyema and persistent air leakage developed in three cases after the operations. Bronchopleural fistula was found in only one of them and the patient died because of uncontrolled infection and sepsis on the 26th postoperative day. All of the other six cases are still alive. We did not observe any other problem in their long-term follow-up. All patients regularly took 20 million units/day of intravenous crystalline penicillin G when they were in the hospital. After that, antibiotic treatment was completed up to 2 months with procaine penicillin. Conclusions: Sometimes diagnosis of the actinomycosis of the lung is very difficult although it is an infection. In that case thoracotomy is needed for the diagnosis and sometimes for the treatment. In some cases because of the irreversible parenchymal change resective surgery may be needed. Actinomyces israelii infections should be suspected of in chronic infiltrative, nodular, cavitary process and tumour-like mass lesions besides other most probable causes. After diagnosed, it is treated using penicillin chemotherapy at least for 2 months.

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“…CT may be useful in demonstrating thoracic wall involvement, bone destruction, presence of osteomyelitis and pleural alterations. Invasion to mediastinum, retroperitoneum and compromising of soft tissues usually associated with fistulas and fibrosis are also radiological findings suggestive of thoracic actinomycosis that may be demonstrated by MRI [13,[16][17][18][19].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thoracic actinomycosis: report of a patient with advanced-stage disease

Santos¹,

Zambenedetti²,

Mann³

et al. 2007

Braz J Infect Dis

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The authors describe a case of advanced thoracic actinomycosis. A 44-year-old man with previous episodes of productive cough with purulent sputum, fever, chest pain and subcutaneous nodules on the left hemithorax was admitted with complaints of lumbar pain irradiating into left lower limb and presence of mass lesion on the left lumbar region. Imaging evaluations were obtained and the patient underwent left lower lobectomy. Histopathology, microscopic examination and anaerobic culture of the resected material diagnosed thoracic actinomycosis.

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Clinical Image. MRI of Thoracic Actinomycosis

Cited by 9 publications

References 7 publications

Pulmonary actinomycosis

Pulmonary actinomycosis

Thoracic actinomycosis

Thoracic actinomycosis: report of a patient with advanced-stage disease

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