[Diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary diseases caused by Mycobacterium avium complex].

Recently, the clinical importance of non-tuberculous mycobacteria(especially, Mycobacterium avium complex [MAC] respiratory infection) has been increasing. In addition, an official ATS/IDSA statement about diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of nontuberculous mycobacterial diseases has been published in February, 2007. In this review article, clinical features and radiological findings of pulmonary MAC diseases mainly i) primarily fibrocavitary disease, and ii) nodular/bronchiectatic disease are described. Primarily fibrocavitary disease is characterized by cavitary lesions in upper lung fields in elderly subjects, smoking patients, or patients with pneumoconiosis. Nodular/bronchiectatic disease is characterized by centrilobular nodules and diffuse bronchiectases in the right middle lobe and the left lingula in middle-aged women. In addition, diagnosis and treatment for pulmonary diseases caused by MAC are also described.