lung and airway disorders
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis
Diagnosis
Chest x-rays or CT Examination of a sputum sample Blood tests Doctors may decide to look for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in a person with Asthma or cystic fibrosis who has frequent asthma attacks. Repeated chest x-rays show areas that look like pneumonia, but they appear to persist or migrate to new areas of the lung, most often in the upper parts. In people with long-standing allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, chest x-rays or computed tomography (CT) may show widened airways, which are often plugged with mucus. The fungus itself, along with excess eosinophils, may be seen when a sputum sample is examined under a microscope. Blood tests reveal high levels of eosinophils and antibodies toAspergillus. The level of immunoglobulin E (an antibody) in the blood is also measured because elevated levels of IgE often indicate an allergic response. Skin testing can determine if the person is allergic toAspergillus, but the test does not distinguish between allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and a simple allergy toAspergillus. A simple allergy toAspergillusmay occur in people who have asthma. 