Open AccessImaging Spectrum of Granulomatous Diseases of the Abdomen and Pelvis
Author(s) -
Muhammad Naeem,
Christine O. Menias,
Austin J Cail,
Mustafa R. Bashir,
David H. Ballard,
Perry J. Pickhardt,
David H. Kim,
Meghan G. Lubner,
Vincent M. Mellnick
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
radiographics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.866
H-Index - 172
eISSN - 1527-1323
pISSN - 0271-5333
DOI - 10.1148/rg.2021200172
Subject(s) - medicine , chronic granulomatous disease , granuloma , pathology , granulomatous disease , differential diagnosis , malignancy , biopsy , fibrosis , disease , immunology
A granuloma is a compact organization of mature macrophages that forms because of persistent antigenic stimulation. At the microscopic level, granulomas can undergo various morphologic changes, ranging from necrosis to fibrosis, which along with other specialized immune cells define the appearance of the granulomatous process. Accordingly, the imaging features of granulomatous diseases vary and can overlap with those of other diseases, such as malignancy, and lead to surgical excisions and biopsy. However, given the heterogeneity of granulomas as a disease group, it is often hard to make a diagnosis on the basis of the histopathologic features of granulomatous diseases alone owing to overlapping microscopic features. Instead, a multidisciplinary approach is often helpful. Radiologists need to be familiar with the salient clinical manifestations and imaging findings of granulomatous diseases to generate an appropriate differential diagnosis. © RSNA, 2021.