Cavitary pulmonary infarct in immunocompromised hosts.

Abstract

Pulmonary disease in immunocompromised patients is common, but cavitary lung disease is less common and is usually associated with a fungal or mycobacterial infection. Pulmonary embolism is a noninfectious cause of a cavitary pulmonary process. Pulmonary embolism causes infarction in fewer than 15% of cases, and only about 5% of infarctions cavitate. Herein we describe two cases of cavitary infarcts in immunocompromised patients and review the clinical aspects of pulmonary infarcts and cavitation. Cavitary pulmonary infarction has been reported only rarely in immunocompromised patients. It is a dangerous but treatable pulmonary disease that must be considered in the differential diagnosis of immuno-compromised patients with lung disease.