Health Encyclopedia

Pulmonary aspergilloma

Definition

Pulmonary aspergilloma is a mass caused by a fungal infection. It usually grows in lung cavities. The infection can also appear in the brain, kidney, or other organs.

Alternative Names

Fungus ball; Mycetoma; Aspergilloma; Aspergillosis - pulmonary aspergilloma

Causes

Aspergillosis is an infection caused by the fungus aspergillus. Aspergillomas are formed when the fungus grows in a clump in a lung cavity. The cavity is often created by a previous condition. Cavities in the lung may be caused by diseases such as:

Tuberculosis
Coccidioidomycosis
Cystic fibrosis
Histoplasmosis
Lung abscess
Lung cancer
Sarcoidosis

The most common species of fungus that causes disease in humans is Aspergillus fumigatus.

Aspergillus is a common fungus. It grows on dead leaves, stored grain, bird droppings, compost piles, and other decaying vegetation.

Symptoms

You may not have symptoms. When symptoms do develop, they can include:

Chest pain
Cough
Coughing up blood, which can be a life-threatening sign
Fatigue
Fever
Unintentional weight loss

Exams and Tests

Your health care provider may suspect you have a fungal infection after x-rays of your lungs show the ball of fungus. Other tests that may be done include:

Biopsy of lung tissue
Blood test for presence of aspergillus in the body (galactomannan)
Blood test to detect immune response to aspergillus (specific antibodies for aspergillus)
Bronchoscopy or bronchoscopy with lavage
Chest CT
Sputum culture

Treatment

Many people never develop symptoms. Often, no treatment is needed, unless you are coughing up blood.

Sometimes, antifungal medicines may be used.

If you have bleeding in the lungs, your provider may recommend a test to inject dye into the blood vessels (angiography) to find the site of bleeding. The bleeding is stopped by either:

Surgery to remove the aspergilloma
Procedure that inserts material into the blood vessels to stop the bleeding (embolization)

Outlook (Prognosis)

The outcome can be good in many people. However, it depends on the severity of the condition and your overall health.

Surgery may be very successful in some cases, but it is complex and can have a high risk of serious complications.

Possible Complications

Complications of pulmonary aspergilloma may include:

Difficulty breathing that gets worse
Massive bleeding from the lung
Spread of the infection

When to Contact a Medical Professional

See your provider if you cough up blood, and be sure to mention any other symptoms that have developed.

Prevention

People who have had related lung infections or who have weakened immune systems should try to avoid environments where the aspergillus fungus is found.

References

Patterson TF, Thompson GR 3rd, Denning DW, et al. Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of aspergillosis: 2016 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2016;63(4):e1-e60. PMID: 27365388 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27365388/.

Saullo JL, Alexander BD. Fungal infections: opportunistic. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 57.

Walsh TJ. Aspergillosis. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 319.

Review Date:9/10/2022
Reviewed By:Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.