In patients with invasive aspergillosis, initial therapy with voriconazole led to better responses and improved survival and resulted in fewer severe side effects than the standard approach of initial therapy with amphotericin B.

Although the study predates extensive use of echinocandins and voriconazole, these findings demonstrate that posaconazole is an alternative to salvage therapy for patients with invasive aspergillosis who are refractory to or intolerant of previous antifungal therapy.

Most patients presented with a halo sign and/or a macronodule in this large imaging study of IPA. Initiation of antifungal treatment on the basis of the identification of a halo sign by chest CT is associated with a significantly better response to treatment and improved survival.

Imaging plays an integral role in the diagnosis and management of suspected pulmonary infections and may reveal useful signs on chest radiographs and CT scans. Detected early, these signs can often be used to predict the causative agent and pathophysiologic mechanism and possibly to optimize patient care.

A simple measurement, the average interpleural distance (AID), which is obtained from three linear measurements, closely predicts true pneumothorax size as determined by radiographic thoracic gas volume measurement (mean variation -2.4 +/- 7.23 SD). The distribution of pneumothorax volume between the affected lung and the ipsilateral thoracic cage is variable and unpredictable. It was found that the average volume of pneumothorax that is accommodated by thoracic cage expansion (8%) is much less than previously reported. This appears to be the result of variable degrees of splinting and chest wall pain associated with pneumothorax.