Battling the breath-stealers: Blastomyces and Pseudomonas triggering acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Blastomycosis is an endemic disease in North America and commonly manifests with pulmonary symptoms. Blastomycosis should be consider when patients have persistent infiltrates on imaging in an endemic area. We present a case of a 46-year-old male who presented to the pulmonary clinic with fever, cough with production of yellowish-green sputum and culture of BAL-fluid showed growth of Pseudomonas spp. Antimicrobial therapy was started accordingly, but was not effective. A repeat bronchoscopy was performed and BAL-fluid culture was positive for Blastomyces dermatitidis and liposomal amphotericin B was initiated. Unfortunately, the patient died after withdrawing care.

Cytomegalovirus cavitary pneumonia in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected patient.

Cavitary lung lesions are uncommon radiological findings in cytomegalovirus pneumonia, and tissue biopsy is rarely performed for diagnosis. A 67-year-old man presented with a wet cough. Extensive white moss in the oral cavity was found on physical examination, and chest computed tomography revealed an approximately 4 cm cavitary lesion in the upper lobe of the right lung. Blood tests showed a critically low CD4+ T lymphocyte count and positivity for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 antibodies. A transbronchial biopsy of the cavitary lung lesion was performed, and inclusion bodies in the nuclei of enlarged alveolar epithelial cells were seen in the histopathological findings. Immunohistochemistry staining for cytomegalovirus was positive, and cytomegalovirus pneumonia was diagnosed. Ganciclovir treatment was initiated, and the symptoms and imaging findings resolved. Cytomegalovirus pneumonia can present as cavitary lung lesions in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and a transbronchial biopsy is essentially useful for a definitive diagnosis.

Cutaneous Cryptococcosis Manifested as a Large Cystic Mass: A Rare Manifestation of Cryptococcus Infection.

Cryptococcus infection is an invasive fungal infection common in immunocompromised hosts, especially in organ transplant recipients and in patients with HIV. Its presentation varies from localized skin lesions to systemic disseminated infection involving the lungs and the central nervous system (CNS). We present the case of a 50-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM-2), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) status post deceased donor kidney transplantation seven and a half years ago who presented with a low-grade fever, cough, nausea, vomiting, and a large cystic mass on the right foot. A CT scan of the chest showed a 14 mm cavitary lesion in the middle lobe of the right lung. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid cryptococcal antigens were detected. MRI of the right foot showed a large multilocular lobulated septated cystic mass. Histopathology showed cryptococcus; the diagnosis was made as disseminated cryptococcus infection. She was treated with antifungal therapy successfully. A large cutaneous cystic mass is a rare cutaneous presentation of cryptococcus infection; clinicians should keep it in the differential diagnosis, especially in transplant recipient patients.

A case of pulmonary melioidosis in Germany: a rare differential diagnosis in returning travelers from South-East Asia.

BACKGROUND: Melioidosis is a bacterial infection associated with high mortality. The diagnostic approach to this rare disease in Europe is challenging, especially because pulmonary manifestation of melioidosis can mimic pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Antibiotic therapy of melioidosis consists of an initial intensive phase of 2-8 weeks followed by an eradication therapy of 3-6 months. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 46-year-old female patient with pulmonary melioidosis in Germany. The patient showed chronic cough, a pulmonary mass and a cavitary lesion, which led to the initial suspicion of pulmonary TB. Melioidosis was considered due to a long-term stay in Thailand with recurrent exposure to rice fields. RESULTS: Microbiologic results were negative for TB. Histopathology of an endobronchial tumor showed marked chronic granulation tissue and fibrinous inflammation. Melioidosis was diagnosed via polymerase chain reaction by detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei/mallei target from mediastinal lymph-node tissue. CONCLUSION: This case report emphasizes that melioidosis is an important differential diagnosis in patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis and recent travel to South-East Asia.

Pulmonary Cavitary Sarcoidosis: A Case Report.

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease characterized by a non-caseating granuloma formation in different organs of the body. However, the presence of cavitary lesions is rare. We present a case report of a 38-year-old male who presented with a three-month history of cough, dyspnea, and weight loss. Computed tomography of the chest demonstrated enlarged mediastinal and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy with bilateral perihilar consolidation and cavitation in the upper lobes of both lungs. Later, the patient underwent bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage and endobronchial biopsy which showed well-formed and non-necrotizing granulomas which were also embedded in the dense hyaline sclerosis. This finding is consistent with sarcoidosis. Treatment with systemic corticosteroids was initiated, resulting in significant improvement in the patient's symptoms. This case report highlights the uncommon manifestation of pulmonary cavitary sarcoidosis and emphasizes the significance of accurate diagnosis and appropriate management of this complex disease.

Lung Cancer Mimicking Aspergilloma: A Case Report.

An aspergilloma is a conglomeration of Aspergillus hyphae, fibrin, mucus, and cellular debris, typically found within a pulmonary cavity or ectatic bronchus. Computerized tomography (CT) scans often depict a cavity containing a solid mass and a notable crescent sign. Though these signs are indicative of aspergilloma, the European Respiratory Society emphasizes the need for a more detailed diagnostic criteria. A patient with a history of hemoptysis was initially diagnosed with an aspergilloma based on CT chest findings, showing a cavitary lesion in the left upper lobe with an intracavitary lobular opacity. Post resection, histological examination contradicted the initial diagnosis, revealing lung cancer instead. This case underscores the importance of tissue diagnosis from the outset or employing a multifaceted diagnostic criteria encompassing radiological findings, serology and microbiology tests. In the absence of an initial tissue diagnosis, rigorous follow-up, including early interval scanning, is crucial.

Gilchrist's Hollow Lung.

Blastomycosis is an endemic mycosis in certain parts of North America. The dimorphic fungus can manifest with both pulmonary and extrapulmonary features. We present the case of a 24-year-old African American male with a history of vaping and daily marijuana who presented with hemoptysis and a cough of one-week duration. He was initially treated as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The patient had a bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) done in the posterior segment of the right upper lobe. Cultures grew methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), followed by Blastomyces dermatitidis in the histopathologic examination. Chronic pulmonary blastomycosis may present with hemoptysis, weight loss, chronic cough, and night sweats, along with upper lobe predominant cavitation. We have to exclude tuberculosis (TB), lung cancer, and chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis. This case epitomizes many classic perils in the identification of pulmonary blastomycosis. The patient was being treated with itraconazole 200 mg BID for 12 months as per infectious disease suggestion. The patient is nine months into treatment. At six months, his chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a reduction in size from 5.0 × 5.3 cm to 4.2 × 4.0 cm. Although there are no articles supporting increased secondary bacterial infections with underlying fungal infections, more research needs to be done to find any associated features.

Role of Multidetector Computed Tomography in Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Cavitary Lung Lesions With a Histopathological Correlation: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Cavitary lung disease has a wide range of differential diagnoses, which include both benign and malignant lesions. Imaging differentiation of benign from malignant cavitary lesions has always been a challenge due to overlapping imaging findings. The present study describes the most accurate multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) findings that could help in differentiating benign from malignant conditions in correlation with the histopathological reports. Methods This retrospective study was carried out on diagnosed cases of cavitary lung lesions on MDCT from January 2022 to February 2023. We evaluated the number of cavitary lung lesions, their location with respect to lung segment/lobe, the maximum diameter of the largest lesion, the maximum wall thickness of the largest cavity, and additional findings associated with these lesions. Measurements of the maximum wall thickness were plotted on a graph. Statistical analysis was done, and a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was calculated to find the accurate cut-off wall thickness for malignant and non-malignant lesions. These findings were then correlated with the histopathological report. Results A review of the MDCT scans of 47 patients was done; 30 (63.8%) of those were male with a mean age of 47.93±14.68 (SD) years while 17 (36.2%) were female with a mean age of 52.53 ±18.38 (SD) years. Out of 47 patients, 27 (57.4%) had benign lesions and 20 (42.5%) had malignant lesions. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found between benign and malignant lesions while comparing the averages of maximum wall thickness (8.1 mm and 14.5 mm, respectively) and the irregular inner margin of the largest cavitary lesions. The presence of consolidation and centrilobular nodules correlated significantly (p<0.05) with the benign nature of cavitary lung lesions. The maximum cut-off wall thickness was <6 mm and >17 mm for the differentiation of benign from malignant lung lesions, respectively. Conclusions The maximum wall thickness and irregular inner margin of cavitary lung lesions was a good indicator for the differentiation of benign and malignant etiologies on MDCT while consolidation and centrilobular nodules favoured the benign etiology more.

Coccidioides-Induced Pyopneumothorax in an Immunocompetent Patient.

Coccidioidomycosis is a rare infection caused by the dimorphic fungi Coccidiodes immitus or Coccidioides posadasii. This fungal infection is very common in the American Southwest as well as northern Mexico. Though the fungus is ubiquitous, symptomatic coccidioidomycosis usually occurs in the elderly or immunocompromised. This case report discusses a unique instance of an immunocompetent 29-year-old male without any notable past medical history who was found to have a coccidioidal cavitary lung lesion with concomitant pyopneumothorax.

An Unusual Case of Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Lung Presenting as Septic Emboli.

This is a case of a 92-year-old female with multiple hospitalizations for dyspnea on exertion and hypoxemia. Her symptoms were initially thought to be secondary to pneumonia, and on subsequent admission, culture-negative endocarditis. A computed tomography (CT) of the chest was remarkable for numerous bilateral lung nodules of varying size, some of which had a cavitary appearance raising concern for septic emboli. While a transthoracic echo was unremarkable, a transesophageal echo found a small 3 mm echodensity at the tip of the right coronary leaflet of the aortic valve and a possible mobile echodensity on the tricuspid valve leaflet. These findings further supported a clinical diagnosis of endocarditis with septic emboli in the lungs. Initial bronchoscopy yielded an unremarkable biopsy and a bronchial alveolar lavage with the growth of Actinomyces odontolyticus. During a subsequent hospitalization, a repeat bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy revealed a final diagnosis of invasive pulmonary mucinous adenocarcinoma. This case highlights a unique presentation of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lung initially masquerading as septic emboli, resulting in a delay in the final diagnosis.

Traumatic rupture of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation mimicking traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst: a case report.

Thoracic trauma is commonly encountered in daily clinical practice; however, blunt thoracic trauma in patients with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) is rare. CCAM rupture denotes a broad spectrum of manifestations on imaging and may be misdiagnosed as many other conditions. Consequently, this leads to inaccurate treatment and poor patient outcomes. We report the case of a girl with the initial diagnosis of a cavitary lung lesion that was likely a traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst or CCAM. The patient received medical therapy for 20 days; however, her condition did not improve. Subsequently, she underwent right lower lobectomy. Ruptured CCAM was confirmed during surgery and with histopathology. No complications occurred postoperatively, and the patient made a good recovery.

A Rare Case of Pulmonary Cavitary Disease Caused by Mycobacterium xenopi.

Mycobacterium xenopi is a slow-growing, acid-fast, non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM). It is often considered to be a saprophyte or an environmental contaminant. Mycobacterium xenopi has low pathogenicity and is usually seen in patients with pre-existing chronic lung diseases and immunocompromised patients. We present a case of Mycobacterium xenopi causing a cavitary lesion in a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that was discovered incidentally during the low-dose CT scan done for lung cancer screening in a patient with COPD. The initial workup was negative for NTM. An Interventional-guided (IR) core needle biopsy was done given the high suspicion for NTM and revealed a positive culture for Mycobacterium xenopi.  Our case highlights the importance of considering NTM in the differential diagnosis of at-risk patients and pursuing invasive testing if there is a high clinical suspicion.

COVID-19 and Cavitary Lesion in Lung.

The clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) are widespread, ranging from asymptomatic to critical illness with significant morbidity and mortality. It is widely known that individuals who have viral respiratory infections are more likely to develop bacterial infections. Throughout the pandemic, despite the fact that COVID-19 was thought to be the primary cause of millions of deaths, bacterial coinfections, superinfections, and other secondary complications played a significant role in the increased mortality rate. In our case, a 76-year-old male presented to the hospital complaining of shortness of air. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was positive for COVID-19 and cavitary lesions were discovered on imaging. Treatment was guided based on the results of bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cultures showing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Mycobacterium gordonae. However, the case was later complicated by the development of a pulmonary embolism after anticoagulants were held due to new onset hemoptysis. Our case highlights the importance of considering bacterial coinfection in cavitary lung lesions, appropriate antimicrobial stewardship, and close follow-up for full recovery in COVID-19 infections.

A Case of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis vs. Pulmonary Aspergilloma in Immunocompromised Patient With Preexisting Lung Cavity.

Subacute invasive aspergillosis (SAIA) occurs in immunocompromised patients and/or patients with preexisting pulmonary pathology. An aspergilloma is a fungus ball that occurs in preexisting lung cavities and can be relatively asymptomatic without tissue invasion. In contrast to an aspergilloma, SAIA invades local tissue and parenchyma, resulting in tissue necrosis. We present a case of a 68-year-old immunocompromised female with a past medical history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stage IIIA adenocarcinoma, and a preexisting pulmonary cavity with chronic invasive aspergillosis vs. pulmonary aspergilloma treated with oral (PO) voriconazole. This case demonstrates that invasive aspergillosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any pulmonary lung lesion showing tissue invasion and expansion in an immunocompromised patient.

Dual-vessel intervention treatment for massive hemoptysis caused by lung cavitary lesions.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of dual-vessel intervention (DVI), including bronchial or pulmonary arterial embolization (B/PAE), in managing massive hemoptysis caused by cavitary lung lesions (with or without aspergilloma) and identify cavitary angiographic features influencing DVI procedures. METHOD: A retrospective analysis of the medical records and angiograms of 15 patients who underwent DVI for massive hemoptysis was performed. RESULTS: The most frequent causes of cavitary lung lesions were tuberculosis (TB) (8/15, 53%) and bronchiectasis (6/15, 40%). Eight patients were diagnosed with aspergilloma (8/15, 53%). In all, 24 systemic arteries, including the orthotopic and ectopic bronchial arteries and 1 pulmonary artery branch, were embolized in 16 procedures. Clinical success and immediate cessation of hemoptysis were achieved in 12 patients (80%). Hemoptysis was controlled in 10 patients (67%) and recurred in 2 patients (17%), while 1 patient (7%) required repeat embolization. The bronchopulmonary fistula (shunting) rate was 73.3% (11/15). The average fistula emergence time was 1.28 ± 1.27 s (M ± SD), and the average vessel diameter was 3.974 ± 1.57 mm. There were no significant differences in angiographic features, clinical success, or recurrence of cavitary lesions with or without aspergilloma. The complication rates were low, with only transient chest pain and ventricular arrhythmia reported. CONCLUSIONS: BAE is an effective and safe procedure for most cavitary lesions causing massive hemoptysis, and DVI is needed under certain circumstances. High bronchopulmonary fistula rates and early fistula emergence times were observed for cavitary lesions. The DVI strategy depends on the culprit vessel diameter, fistula type, and fistula emergence time.

Reactivation of Tuberculosis in the Setting of COVID-19 Infection.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV- 2) was declared a pandemic by WHO in March 2020. The causative organism has since undergone a series of mutations. COVID-19 primarily being a respiratory illness causes pre-existing pulmonary diseases to show worse clinical outcomes. About one-third of the world's population is thought to be infected with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Both previous and newly developed tuberculosis (TB) infection are risk factors for COVID-19 and are associated with poor outcomes. T lymphocytes play a pivotal role in defense against MTB and with evidence suggesting depletion of T lymphocytes in COVID-19, it can be postulated that COVID-19 can increase the risk of reactivation of latent TB.  Given that a large population around the globe is infected with latent tuberculosis, it is interesting to study and note cases where the virus leads to the reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection. Herein, we present a 76-year-old Brazilian male recently treated for COVID-19 pneumonia, presenting with new-onset cough and weakness diagnosed with latent MTB reactivation.

Cavitary lung disease in hospitalized patients: Differences between melioidosis and tuberculosis.

To differentiate cavitary lung lesions caused by melioidosis and tuberculosis is challenging, especially in endemic countries. A study with a matched-sampling method (16 cavitary pulmonary melioidosis vs. 16 cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis) showed characteristics of bacterial infection more obvious and severe in the melioidosis patients, which were useful to distinguish two conditions.

Development of cavitary lung disease as a long-term complication of coronavirus disease 2019 in a young previously healthy patient: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Cavities are frequent manifestations of a wide variety of pathological processes involving the lung. There has been a growing body of evidence of coronavirus disease 2019 leading to a cavitary pulmonary disease. CASE PRESENTATION: A healthy 29-year-old Filipino male presented to the hospital a couple of months after convalescence from coronavirus disease 2019 with severe pleuritic chest pain, fever, chills, and shortness of breath, and was found to have a cavitary lung lesion on chest computed tomography. While conservative management alone failed to improve the patient's condition, he ultimately underwent left lung video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery decortication. Even though the surgical pathology revealed only necrosis with dense acute inflammation and granulation tissue with no microorganisms, he gradually improved with medical therapy adjunct with surgical therapy. CONCLUSION: Documented cases of cavitary lung disease secondary to coronavirus disease 2019 have been mostly reported in the acute or subacute phase of the infection. However, clinicians should recognize this entity as a late complication of coronavirus disease 2019, even in previously healthy individuals.

Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Complicated by a Cavitary Lung Lesion in a Kidney Transplant Recipient.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is an uncommon life-threatening condition caused by an uncontrolled immunological response. It can develop secondary to malignancies, infections, systemic diseases, and immunosuppression. Multiple risk factors may present in kidney transplant recipients; however, the cases of HLH in this population have been described sparsely. We report a case of a 39-year-old female kidney transplant recipient who presented to the hospital nearly 3.5 years after the transplantation with general malaise, recent history of weight loss, fevers, and persistent anemia. Laboratory tests showed pancytopenia, hyperferritinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and increased activity of lactate dehydrogenase. A bone marrow aspiration revealed hemophagocytosis, which led to the diagnosis of HLH. Therapy consisting of high-dose steroids and plasma exchanges was administered, resulting in a significant improvement of blood count parameters and the patient's general condition. While searching for the triggering disease, a single cavitary lesion in the right lung was revealed in a chest radiograph. Computed tomography scan, bronchoscopy, and additional laboratory testing did not reveal a definitive cause of the lesion. We suspect that the lesion may be a consequence of HLH. The patient was disqualified from thoracic surgery due to multiple comorbidities. Even though HLH is a rare condition, it should be taken into consideration in a kidney transplant patient presenting with unspecific symptoms accompanied by a bicytopenia. It has an unpredictable course that often results in serious complications. Thus close follow-up of the patient and a wide array of imaging and laboratory tests remain crucial.

A rare case of cavitary lung lesions in an adolescent: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) is a life threatening disease if left untreated which predominantly affects the adult population. As clinical presentation is often non-specific there is a heavy reliance on radiologic, laboratory and biopsy findings in diagnosis. We present a case of a 17-year-old male who presented with a history of tea colored urine and recurrent epistaxis who now complained of cough and congestion. The patient failed multiple courses of outpatient antibiotics and a CT of the chest while in the ED demonstrated multiple cavitary lesions. Subsequent workup and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of GPA. It is important for the Radiologist and other clinicians to keep GPA in their differential when presented with a cavitary lung lesion as prompt treatment is required for good outcomes.