[Radiological findings of non-tuberculous mycobacteria respiratory infection]

Abstract

In these 15 years, the clinical importance of non-tuberculous mycobacteria respiratory infection has been increasing. Especially, from the report of Prince et al., it has been suggested that Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) respiratory infection is increasing especially in elderly women without underlying diseases. In MAC respiratory infection, right middle lobe and left lingula are frequently involved and centrilobular nodules and diffuse bronchiectasis are characteristic radiological findings. In addition, successive evaluation of chest CT has demonstrated that grade of bronchiectasis deteriorated, suggesting that bronchiectasis is caused by MAC respiratory infection. More recently, pathological findings of MAC respiratory infection as well as the pathogenesis of MAC respiratory infection has been partially clarified.