Medical image of the week: MAC infection

• Main Authors: Omar M, Berry C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Arizona Thoracic Society 2016-08-01
• Series: Southwest Journal of Pulmonary and Critical Care
• Subjects: mycobacterium; MAC; mycobacterium avium complex; avium; intracellulare; treatment; CT scan; chest x-ray; clinical presentation; diagnosis
• Online Access: http://www.swjpcc.com/imaging/2016/8/24/medical-image-of-the-week-mac-infection.html

No abstract available. Article truncated at 150 words. A 61-year-old woman with history of severe COPD (FEV1 1.07L, 40%) complicated by chronic hypoxemic, hypercarbic respiratory failure, ongoing tobacco abuse, and allergic phenotype. Over the past month or so, she had developed progressively worsening dyspnea on exertion, fatigue, poor appetite, and weight loss. She denied fevers, chills, and night sweats. Thoracic CT did show LUL cavitary lesion and RLL sub segmental tiny pulmonary embolus. A PA and lateral chest radiograph was performed and revealed extensive areas of patchy airspace opacity in the left upper lobe. Lucent foci are noted within the patchy opacities of concern for potential cavitation (Figure 1). CT chest was performed and showed extensive cavitary, necrotizing left upper lobe pneumonia, Centrilobular and paraseptal emphysema. (Figure 2). Sputum AFB was positive for acid fast bacilli, culture was positive for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), and she was started on treatment. The term Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) encompasses several ...