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
-
1 Axial computed tomography (CT) scans of the frontal sinus.
A: due to the long lasting pressure of mucus, the bone of the anterior wall of frontal sinus is thinned out and elevated anteriorly, forming a bulge. B: same situation as depicted in fig A: the posterior bony wall of frontal sinus is thinned out and extremely elevated posteriorly towards the frontal lobe of the brain. As depicted on the scan, a thin bony layer covering the dura could be recognized intraoperatively
-
2 Same patient as 1 and 3, frontal CT
-
D. 6 months later, tenacious yellow secretions in L basal bronchial division
-
C. After suction the material was seen to extend distally – obstructing the right basal stem bronchus
-
B. After suction the material was seen to extend distally – obstructing the right basal stem bronchus
-
A. Necrotic mass prolapsing in and out of the distal right intermediate bronchus obscuring both the basal stem and basal division
