Pathogenesis of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis

Abstract

Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (CNPA) is a slowly progressive inflammatory destruction of lung tissue due to Aspergillus infection. The main radiographic features are chronic pulmonary infiltrates, progressive cavitation, and subsequent aspergilloma formation. Although pre-existing cavity is not seen, the presence of pre-existing airspaces such as emphysematous bullae, cannot be excluded. Chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis (CCPA), which is synonymous with complex aspergilloma, shows one or more pre-existing and / or newly formed pulmonary cavities that may or may not contain an aspergilloma, and cavity expansion and / or increasing pericavitary infiltrates. CNPA can be distinguished from CCPA by careful observation of progression of the cavitary lesion if a series of adequate radiography films are available. In some cases, however, it is difficult to distinguish the two subtypes if prior radiographs are not available Aiso, intermediate or overlapping types may exist. We therefore clinically and therapeutically proposed the syndrome including both CNPA and CCPA as chronic progressive pulmonary aspergillosis (CPPA).