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Reverse halo sign on chest imaging in a renal transplant recipient
Author(s) -
Stewart J.I.,
D'Alonzo G.E.,
Ciccolella D.E.,
Patel N.B.,
Durra H.,
Clauss H.E.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
transplant infectious disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.69
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1399-3062
pISSN - 1398-2273
DOI - 10.1111/tid.12166
Subject(s) - medicine , halo sign , radiology , lung , context (archaeology) , mucormycosis , chest pain , surgery , computed tomography , paleontology , biology
Without proper treatment, the mortality of pulmonary mucormycosis is nearly 100%. Although the diagnosis is often made histologically, it can be suspected when patients have a reverse halo sign on computed tomography ( CT ) of the chest, along with the right clinical findings. We describe the case of a woman 7 months post renal transplant who presented with fevers, malaise, and chest pain. Her chest CT revealed a round, focal area of ground‐glass attenuation surrounded by a complete rim of consolidation in the left upper lobe, consistent with the reverse halo sign. Pulmonary mucormycosis was diagnosed by transbronchial lung biopsy. She was successfully treated with combined medical and surgical therapies. In the context of this case, we provide a brief review of the diagnosis of pulmonary mucormycosis, with a focus on radiographic and pathologic findings.