[Clinical and imaging features of thirty cases of paragonimiasis westermani].

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\nTo analyze the clinical manifestations and imaging characteristics of pulmonary and extra pulmonary paragonimiasis westermani.\n\n\nMETHODS\nA retrospective analysis was performed of 30 patients diagnosed by clinical features, laboratory serological tests and surgical pathology.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThe symptoms of the lung included mainly chest distress, fever, chest pain, cough and expectoration, and dyspnea. The extra pulmonary symptoms included abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, emaciation, both lower extremities asthenia, headache, dizziness, epileptic seizures, and subcutaneous migratory masses. The laboratory examination showed that the eosinophil numbers of serum and pleural effusion of all the thirty patients were increased, and the eggs of Paragonimus westermani were found by the stool tests in four cases. The chest CT tests found abnormal nodules, ground glass changes, insect damages, pleural effusion, tunnel signs, and halo signs. Cranial CT and MRI showed intracranial hemorrhage foci, and extensive finger-like edema. Abdominal CT showed serpentine deformation and tunnel signs in the hepatic and spleen capsules.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nParagonimiasis westermani is a multiple organ system involved infection, and it has complex and varied clinical manifestations. The tunnel sign and serpentine deformations in the intracranial part, lung, liver and spleen are important imaging manifestations of the disease.