Objective: The aim was to characterize the structure and composition of aspergillosis fungus balls surgically removed from the maxillary sinus of a 42 year old female patient. Routine histology confirmed the presence of hyphae in these balls.

Methods: The specimens, 5-10 mm balls, were examined by a battery of techniques including soft radiography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and x-ray microanalysis (XMA).

Results: The balls had the appearance of soft tissues but were partially radiopaque. An examination of cross sections of radiopaque areas (2-3 mm wide) showed that they consist of an inner core surrounded by two successive layers. In the outermost layer which was porous and constituted about 10% of these areas, numerous tiny globules were dispersed within long columnar filaments. The inner core exhibited a honeycomb structure. The sandwiched layer occupying about 80% of these cross sections was densely packed with columnar filaments but no globules. The outer layer was found to be enriched with Ca and P. The presence of hydroxyapatite [HA-Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂] in filaments and globules in this layer was confirmed. All other areas were of organic nature with no evidence of any calcification.

Conclusion: This study indicates that the calcified deposit histologically observed in aspergillosis fungus balls are apatitic in nature and demonstrates the usefulness of electron microscopic and spectroscopic techniques in characterizing the ultra structural details of such abnormalities that a routine histology does not reveal.

Back to the Dental Materials: VIII - Others-Non-metallic Program
Back to the IADR/AADR/CADR 83rd General Session (March 9-12, 2005)

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