OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the main findings of computed tomography in patients presenting acute leukemia complicated by angioinvasive aspergillosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computed tomography images of 19 patients were retrospectively studied for the presence of consolidations, nodules and masses, with or without presentation of halo sign, cavitation and air crescent sign. RESULTS: Consolidation was the most frequent finding, occurring in 12 of the 19 cases, most of them presenting the halo sign; cavitation was found in 5 of 12 cases, one of them with air crescent sign. Nodules and masses occurred respectively in six and four cases, most of them with halo sign. Cavitation was found in only one case of mass. Other findings observed were: crazy-paving pattern (two cases), patchy areas of ground-glass attenuation opacity (three cases) and pleural involvement (seven cases) under the form of effusion or thickening. CONCLUSION: Areas of consolidation, mass or nodule, even a solitary one, presenting halo sign on CT images evaluated in an appropriate clinical context are highly suggestive of angioinvasive aspergillosis.
Angioinvasive pulmonary aspergillosis; Acute leukemia; Computed tomography
