Roentgenographic Manifestations of Pulmonary Histoplasmosis

Classified According to Clinical Types

¹ Department of Radiology, Veterans Administration Hospital
² Medical Service (Infectious Disease Section), Veterans Administration Hospital

The course of pulmonary histoplasmosis was clearly demonstrated in this series of roentgenographic films. They showed:

1. The benign course of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis.

2. The development of chronic pulmonary histoplasmosis from apical infiltrations through infiltrations riddled with many small radiolucencies giving rise to the term, "honeycomb" followed by increase in size of civities such that ultimately only one or few thin-walled cavities resembling bullae were present. These cavitary and fibrotic lesions were associated with pronounced distortion of pulmonary architecture resulting in the early displacement of the hilar structures toward the apices, and pronounced deviation of the trachea as well as emphysema. In most cases, pulmonary fibrosis and/or emphysema was the endstage of a series of spreads and reinfections.

3. Calcified lymph nodes, the residua of inactive pulmonary histoplasmosis, can cause pulmonary complications.

4. The prognosis of the disease may be improved with early recognition and therapy.