Pulmonary aspergilloma (mycetoma)

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Aspergilloma	Aspergillosis - chest X-ray	Lungs	Pulmonary aspergillosis
Pulmonary nodule, solitary - CT scan	Pulmonary nodule - front view chest X-ray	Respiratory system

Fungus ball; Mycetoma; Aspergilloma

Often, no treatment is necessary. However, if a patient coughs up blood, treatment may be required. In some cases, angiography (injection of dye into the blood vessels) may be used to locate the site of bleeding. The bleeding can then be stopped by shooting tiny pellets into the bleeding vessel. Surgery is another option to control bleeding, and is often the only choice if there is life-threatening bleeding.

Occasionally, antifungal medications may be used.

The outcome can be good in many patients, but depends on the severity and other factors. In select cases, surgery can be very effective when successful, but this surgery is complex and can have a high risk of serious complications. Many patients never develop symptoms and do not need any form of treatment.

• Progressive difficulty breathing
• Massive bleeding from the lung
• Spread of the infection (see acute invasive aspergillosis)

See your health care provider if you cough up blood, and mention any other symptoms that have developed.

Review Date: 08/07/2006
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.