Items tagged “lungs”

Bronchiectasis (plural: bronchiectases) is defined as an irreversible abnormal dilatation of the bronchial tree. It has a variety of underlying causes, with a common etiology of chronic inflammation. High-resolution CT is the most accurate modality for diagnosis. Epidemiology As there are many...

Chronic unilateral airspace opacification is a subset of the differential diagnoses for airspace opacification. An exhaustive list of all possible causes of chronic unilateral airspace opacities is long, but a useful framework is as follows: neoplastic post obstructive lymphoma lymphocytic ...

One pulmonary edema grading based on chest radiograph appearances and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) is as follows: grade 0: normal chest radiograph, PCWP 8-12 mmHg grade 1: shows evidence of upper lobe diversion on a chest radiograph, PCWP 13-18 mmHg grade 2: shows interstitial ed...

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), previously known as Wegener granulomatosis, is a multisystem necrotizing non-caseating granulomatous c-ANCA positive vasculitis affecting small to medium-sized arteries, capillaries, and veins, with a predilection for the respiratory system and kidneys. T...

Asbestosis refers to later development of diffuse interstitial fibrosis secondary to asbestos fiber inhalation and should not be confused with other asbestos related diseases. Epidemiology Asbestosis typically occurs 10-15 years following the commencement of exposure to asbestos and is dose re...

Primary ciliary dyskinesia, also known as immotile cilia syndrome, is the result of a congenital defect in the ultrastructure of cilia that renders them incapable of normal movement. It is associated with a number of anatomic and functional abnormalities. Epidemiology Primary ciliary dyskinesi...

Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) is a disease of unknown etiology characterized on imaging by multifocal ground glass opacifications and/or consolidation. A wide variety of infectious as well as noninfectious causes may result in a similar histologic pattern. Terminology Organizing pneum...

Round pneumonia is a type of pneumonia usually only seen in pediatric patients. They are well defined, rounded opacities that represent regions of infected consolidation. Epidemiology The mean age of patients with round pneumonia is five years and 90% of patients who present with round pneumon...

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a low-grade destructive metastasizing PEComatous tumor 1 resulting from the proliferation of LAM cells in the lung, kidney and axial lymphatics. The disease is caused by mutations of the TSC2 or TSC1 genes and is more commonly sporadic rather than inherited. Cys...

Pulmonary manifestations of cystic fibrosis are some of the best known in cystic fibrosis (CF). This is partly because the lungs are often severely affected and the cause of significant morbidity and mortality.  For general discussion of cystic fibrosis, and a discussion of its other manifestat...

Pulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis are varied and depend in part whether the infection is primary or post-primary. The lungs are the most common site of primary infection by tuberculosis and are a major source of spread of the disease and of individual morbidity and mortality. A general d...

A Ghon lesion, sometimes called a Ghon focus, represents a tuberculous caseating granuloma (tuberculoma) and represents a sequela of primary pulmonary tuberculosis infection. Terminology Radiologically, this term is used quite loosely to refer to a calcified granuloma; technically, the Ghon le...

Obstructive bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is an uncommon manifestation of non-invasive aspergillosis seen in patients with AIDS. It is typically caused by Aspergillus fumigatus and represents marked overgrowth of intraluminal of the fungus.

Aspergillomas are mass-like fungus balls that are typically composed of Aspergillus fumigatus and are a non-invasive form of pulmonary aspergillosis. It usually falls under the subgroup chronic pulmonary aspergillosis. Terminology Although the term mycetoma is frequently used to describe these...

Mycetoma refers to a chronic and progressively destructive granulomatous disease. The defining clinical triad comprises: localized mass-like soft tissue injury with  draining sinuses, that  discharge grains of contagious material It is one of the 17 "neglected tropical diseases", as defined ...

Subacute invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (previously known as chronic necrotizing aspergillosis or semi-invasive aspergillosis) is subacute to chronic localized and indolent form of invasive aspergillosis. It is also sometimes grouped under the term chronic pulmonary aspergillosis. Epidemiolog...

The halo sign in chest imaging is a feature seen on lung window settings, ground glass opacity surrounding a pulmonary nodule or mass and represents hemorrhage. It is typically seen in angioinvasive aspergillosis. Pathology Histopathologically, it represents a focus of pulmonary infarction sur...

Mesothelioma, also known as malignant mesothelioma, is an aggressive malignant tumor of the mesothelium. Most tumors arise from the pleura, and so this article will focus on pleural mesothelioma. Given the presence of the mesothelium in different parts of the body, mesothelioma can arise in var...

An asbestos body is a histological finding in interstitial lung disease that is suggestive of significant occupational asbestos exposure. They are usually identified following a parenchymal lung biopsy 3. Macrophage ingestion of the asbestos fibers triggers a fibrogenic response via the release...

The secondary pulmonary lobule, also known as the pulmonary lobule, is considered the functional unit of the lung, and is key to HRCT terminology. Terminology The terminology used to describe the fundamental gas-exchange units of the lung can be confusing. The inconsistent descriptions in part...