title: Pulmonary cryptococcosis in asymptomatic immunocompetent hosts.
abstract: Pulmonary cryptococcosis tends to occur commonly in immunocompromized patients. However, as more individuals are undergoing regular medical examinations, the number of cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis detected incidentally in immunocompetent individuals is increasing. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the radiologic manifestations of pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients with no significant symptoms. The clinical records and radiographic findings of 7 immunocompetent subjects with isolated pulmonary cryptococcosis who were diagnosed by pathological examinations, were reviewed. The mean age of patients was 68.4 y (range 58-80 y), and 6 of them were female. The radiographic manifestations in all patients were 1 or more nodules. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated 22 pulmonary nodules with diameter from 3 mm to 22 mm, and multiple nodules were more frequent than solitary nodules (5 cases versus 2 cases). Axial analysis of patients showed that an involvement of the upper lobe was observed in all patients. Most nodules were well defined and smoothly marginated (21 nodules) and cavitations were infrequent findings (2 nodules). Lymphadenopathies were found in 2 patients. The most common imaging finding of pulmonary cryptococcosis in asymptomatic immunocompetent hosts was the presence of multiple nodules marginated smoothly with upper lobe predominance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Research Center for Pulmonary Disorders, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Jeonbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yeong Hun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: Hee
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Seoung Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: So Ri
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyo Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Kyung Sun
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yong Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed