Reversed halo sign in invasive pulmonary fungal infections

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Pulmonology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Pulmonary mold infections are serious fungal lung infections.
• Early detection of fungal lung infections is crucial for patient outcomes.
• The reversed halo sign is a specific finding on computed tomography (CT) scans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and significance of the reversed halo sign in pulmonary mold infections.
• To determine if the reversed halo sign is an early indicator of fungal lung disease.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of computed tomography (CT) scans.
• Inclusion of patients with documented pulmonary mold infections.
• Analysis for the presence of the reversed halo sign (ground-glass attenuation surrounded by a solid ring).

Main Results:

• The reversed halo sign was identified in approximately 4% of patients with pulmonary mold infections.
• This sign was often associated with zygomycosis, a type of fungal infection.
• The reversed halo sign was observed as an early finding in the disease progression.

Conclusions:

• The reversed halo sign is an uncommon but potentially important early CT finding in pulmonary mold infections.
• Its presence may suggest zygomycosis and warrants further investigation.
• This radiological sign can aid in the early diagnosis of specific fungal lung infections.