Pulmonary involvement by Echinococcus alveolaris.

Multimodality imaging in diagnosis and management of alveolar echinococcosis: an update

“…irregular borders or as irregularities on the diaphragm surface. The lesions are prone to disseminate in the peripheral zones (19). They are seen as low-density masses with lobular contours on CT. Calcifications can be detected inside the lesions (3).…”

Cavitary Pulmonary Disease

“…Similar to E. granulosus, the eggs mature into larvae in the intestine and migrate through the bloodstream to form cysts. E. multilocularis affects the liver in over 90% of cases, with only about 10% of cysts located in the lung (132,367). Liver cysts are usually asymptomatic, and most disease is probably not detected in the lifetime of the host.…”

“…For example, in one area of endemicity (south Gansu province, China), the prevalence of typical E. multilocularis liver cysts among asymptomatic persons has been reported to be as high as 3.4% (16). Pulmonary disease appears as multiple circular opacities by plain radiography (367), and as with E. granulosus, air may rarely penetrate a cyst, resulting in a cavitary appearance. As E. multilocularis pulmonary disease is so rarely reported, the prevalence of lung cavities among persons with E. multilocularis disease is probably very low.…”

Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy in Hepatic <i>Echinococcus multilocularis</i>

“…10,15,17 The multilocular cysts are usually sterile and display only an external laminated membrane without a germinal layer, brood capsules or scolices. 3,5,6,8,12,13,16 Honeycombed multilocular structures develop, and there is mucoid fluid in the lumen.…”