[Clinical characteristics of primary pulmonary cryptococcosis in 28 patients].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the clinical characteristics, causes of pre-operative misdiagnosis and therapy of pulmonary cryptococcosis.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 28 patients suffering from pulmonary cryptococcosis from 2008 to 2013 in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. All patients were diagnosed pathologically.


RESULTS
Of the 28 patients, 19 had no clear host factors. No patient was exposed to pigeons recently. The imaging findings showed that most patients had solitary, multiple nodules, masses, and patches. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) showed abnormal accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose. Seven patients demonstrated malignancy and 1 demonstrated tuberculosis. None was considered as pulmonary fungus diseases. Microscopically, cryptococcosis granuloma formation was found in all patients and cryptococcosis neoformans were detected by Periodic acid-schiff and Grocott methenamine silver staining methods in the histopathological examination, respectively. Twenty-seven patients underwent lobectomy, and 1 had the medical antifungal drugs treatment. During the follow-up, symptoms in only 1 patient were not controlled.


CONCLUSIONS
Most pulmonary cryptococcosis patients have no evident immunocompromise. Clinical presentation of pulmonary cryptococcosis varies and is often related to the immune status of patients. Radiological manifestation of pulmonary cryptococcosis is indistinguishable from malignant tumor, and even 18F-FDG-PET imaging does not help to get a clear diagnosis. After surgical resection of the lung, systemic antifungal treatment is still necessary for special population. Systemic therapy of both fluconazole and itraconazole is classic choice for pulmonary cryptococcosis.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Second Xiangya Hospital,Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Yating
Y
Peng
Ruoyun
R
Ouyang
Yi
Y
Jiang
D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18