Beyond the Grain: Correlating Imaging Findings with Mycetoma Pathogens to Optimize Timely diagnosis and Therapy

Clicks: 12
ID: 327267
2026
Free PDF
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal
Steady

Ranked #119 of 147 articles by views in journal of the pediatric infectious diseases society

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale. Only the 120 most-read articles are drawn; the journal has 147 in total.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Sign in to mint
Abstract
Abstract Background Mycetoma is a devastating, progressively destructive neglected tropical disease highly endemic in Sudan, which holds the highest documented global case count (prevalence of 14.5/100,000). Clinically, it presents as a painless subcutaneous mass with sinuses and grain discharge. Frequent delayed presentation leads to high morbidity, disability, and often necessitates amputation. Advanced cases present a diagnostic challenge as their radiological appearance mimics osteosarcoma and other severe bone diseases. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study utilized a patient database from the Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) at Soba University Hospital, Khartoum. The study included 1,109 confirmed mycetoma patients who underwent plain radiography between June 2011 and February 2017. Diagnosis was confirmed by clinical, radiological, cytological/histopathological, and grain culture findings. Radiographs were staged using a standardized mycetoma bone change classification. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Ethical approval was obtained from Sudan Medical Specialization Board and Soba University Hospital. Results The mean age of presentation was 31.1 years, with a high prevalence of eumycetoma (75.7%). Pediatric patients (under 15 years) accounted for 10.6% of the cohort, including the youngest patient at two years old. While Stage 0 was the most common radiological finding (63.4%), nearly one-third of patients (28.6%) presented with advanced disease (Stage III or more). A significant correlation was established between the histopathological/microbiological diagnosis and radiological staging (p=0.001). Eumycetoma was significantly higher in advanced stages (Stage III: 86.4%), consistent with its propensity for causing bone cavities, while actinomycetoma peaked at Stage II. Late presentation was frequent, with a majority of lesions being large (>10 cm). Both lesion size (p=0.01) and occupation (p=0.002) were significantly associated with the radiological stage. Conclusion This study validates a simple radiological staging system for mycetoma, correlating it with disease duration and diagnosis. This maximizes X-ray utility in endemic, low-resource settings, facilitating earlier detection and treatment to prevent disabling progression. MRI remains essential for accurate early-stage extension assessment.
Reference Key
openalex_W7204625901 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Mohammed Fadul, Mustaphaa Bahar, Mohamaed Mustfa, Ahmed Fahal, Amel Omer
Are you one of these authors? Claim your profile
Journal journal of the pediatric infectious diseases society
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/jpids/piag070/piag070.038
URL
https://academic.oup.com/jpids/article-pdf/15/Supplement_2/S16/70833193/piag070.038.pdf
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.