Haruka Sato1, Fumito Okada2, Takaaki Mori1, Asami Ono1, Tomoko Nakayama1, Yumiko Ando3, Akira Matsumoto1, Shuichi Tanoue1, Kazufumi Hiramatsu4, Takehiko Shigenaga5, Masahiro Hata5, Kenji Kishi6, Hiromu Mori1. 1. Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu, Oita, Japan. 2. Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu, Oita, Japan. Electronic address: fumitook@oita-u.ac.jp. 3. Department of Radiology, Oita Nishi Beppu National Hospital, Beppu, Oita, Japan. 4. Hospital Infection Control Center, Oita University Hospital, Yufu, Oita, Japan. 5. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Oita Red Cross Hospital, Oita, Japan. 6. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Oita Koseiren Tsurumi Hospital, Beppu, Oita, Japan.
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Nocardiosis is difficult to diagnose, and the diagnosis is thus frequently delayed. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings of patients with pulmonary nocardiosis have been documented in few reports. Our study objective was to assess HRCT findings of patients with pulmonary nocardiosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 20 consecutive patients with pulmonary Nocardia infections who underwent HRCT of the chest at our institutions from January 2011 to August 2014. After the exclusion of two patients with concurrent infections, the study group comprised 18 patients (11 men, 7 women; age range, 39-83 years; mean, 67.9 years) with pulmonary Nocardia infections. Parenchymal abnormalities, enlarged lymph nodes, and pleural effusion were evaluated on HRCT. RESULTS: Underlying conditions included respiratory disease (n = 6, 33.3%), collagen diseases (n = 5, 27.8%), and diabetes mellitus (n = 4, 22.2%). All patients showed abnormal HRCT findings, including the presence of a nodule/mass (n = 17, 94.4%), ground-glass opacity (n = 14, 77.8%), interlobular septal thickening (n = 14, 77.8%), and cavitation (n = 12, 66.7%). Pleural effusion was seen in two patients. There were no cases of lymph node enlargement. CONCLUSIONS: Among the HRCT findings in patients with pneumonia, a nodule/mass with interlobular septal thickening and/or cavitation are suggestive of pulmonary nocardiosis.
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES:Nocardiosis is difficult to diagnose, and the diagnosis is thus frequently delayed. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings of patients with pulmonary nocardiosis have been documented in few reports. Our study objective was to assess HRCT findings of patients with pulmonary nocardiosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 20 consecutive patients with pulmonary Nocardia infections who underwent HRCT of the chest at our institutions from January 2011 to August 2014. After the exclusion of two patients with concurrent infections, the study group comprised 18 patients (11 men, 7 women; age range, 39-83 years; mean, 67.9 years) with pulmonary Nocardia infections. Parenchymal abnormalities, enlarged lymph nodes, and pleural effusion were evaluated on HRCT. RESULTS: Underlying conditions included respiratory disease (n = 6, 33.3%), collagen diseases (n = 5, 27.8%), and diabetes mellitus (n = 4, 22.2%). All patients showed abnormal HRCT findings, including the presence of a nodule/mass (n = 17, 94.4%), ground-glass opacity (n = 14, 77.8%), interlobular septal thickening (n = 14, 77.8%), and cavitation (n = 12, 66.7%). Pleural effusion was seen in two patients. There were no cases of lymph node enlargement. CONCLUSIONS: Among the HRCT findings in patients with pneumonia, a nodule/mass with interlobular septal thickening and/or cavitation are suggestive of pulmonary nocardiosis.
Authors: Samshol Sukahri; Lily Diana Zainudin; Mohd Firdaus Hadi; Mohd Al-Baqlish Mohd Firdaus; Muhammad Imran Abdul Hafidz Journal: Case Rep Pulmonol Date: 2020-10-26