RADIOLOGIC MANIFESTATIONS OF HISTOPLASMOSIS

¹ Professor of Radiology.

The radiologic examination can offer the clue to the diagnosis of this common infection which often is omitted from consideration.

The radiologic manifestations are not pathognomonic, as, generally, few radiologic manifestations really are. The manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis are not pathognomonic anymore and yet no one thought of diagnosing and controlling the disease without the help of the radiologic examination. Prevailing patterns, however, do exist in histoplasmosis in the acute, chronic and inactive forms, as we attempted to demonstrate, which make the diagnosis highly suggestive, leading therefore, to the utilization of established laboratory techniques for confirmation of the suspected diagnosis and proper treatment.

The early initiation of specific chemotherapy with amphotericin-B can indeed be life saving in some cases. The contribution, on the other hand, of the radiologist in preventing unnecessary exploratory thoracotomies, prolonged hospitalizations and unnecessary isolations, as histoplasmosis is not a communicable disease, does not need to be emphasized.

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