@joyeous Yes, the mucus plugs are often indicative of bronchiectasis. But the ground glass opacities are more general - they often appear as part of any sort of lung infection, and often clear up shortly after it is gone. Not all people with bronchiectasis/MAC have either opacities or mucus plugs.

Why do people with bronchiectasis (or Cystic Fibrosis or COPD) get MAC/NTM when the general population aren't affected? Because our lungs don't work properly to expel mucus. And mucus is the ideal warm, dark, moist breeding environment for the infection to grow. Some of us with bronchiectasis may be immuno-compromised as well, but that doesn't apply to everyone.

The best tool I have found for avoiding reinfection with MAC or Pseudomonas is to keep my lungs clear with daily airway clearance.

Do you practice airway clearance, use the new drug Brinsupri to reduce inflammation in your lungs, or take other steps to avoid infection?