Date: 10 February 2014
An aspergilloma (or fungal ball) is a mass of fungus found inside the body, for example inside cavities such as the lungs or sinuses, or as abscesses in organs such as the brain or kidney. They are made up of threadlike fungal strands (hyphae) that are densely packed but only around 1/200 of a millimetre in diameter. A mass of hyphae is called a mycelium.
In this image, a slice through an aspergilloma has been imaged using a transmission electron microscope.
Copyright:
With kind permission from Dr Anne Beauvais, Unite des Aspergillus, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris
Notes: n/a
Images library
-
Title
Legend
-
Embolisation 7 – patient WC. Angiogram of the lateral thoracic artery on subtraction film showing grossly abnormal vasculature inferiorly shunting along several anterior intercostal arteries to the internal mammary artery. In addition a pseudoaneurysm is shown.
-
Embolisation 6 – patient WC. Catheter tip in the lateral thoracic artery on screening film.
-
Grocott (silver) stain showing branching septate hyphae fairly typical of Aspergillus in mucus. The apparent right angle branching is unusual.
-
Bronchial mucosa under H & E stain showing numerous eosinophils deep to the mucosa, and mucus in the lumen of the bronchiole.
-
Grocott (silver) stain showing branching septate hyphae fairly typical of Aspergillus in mucus. The apparent right angle branching is unusual.
-
Severe kyphoscoliosis caused by greater than 40 years of prednisolone for ABPA and asthma.
-
These pictures show remarkable curvature of the spine as a result of collapse of the vertebral bodies of the thoracic vertebrae. This is a gross example of steroid-induced osteoporosis. The dose was not large in the last 10 years, typically 5-10mg daily, but multiple high dose courses and slow tapering lead to this outcome.
Her corticosteroid warning card is also demonstrated, as additional steroids are required for any significant illness or surgery, as her adrenal glands had completely atrophied.
Kindly supplied by Prof David Denning, South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust, Manchester UK
(© Fungal Research Trust)
, 
, 
, 
, 
