title: Correlation between clinical characteristics and chest computed tomography findings of pulmonary cryptococcosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to review HIV-negative patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis to analyze the correlations between clinical characteristics and chest computed tomography (CT) findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 16 HIV-negative patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis diagnosed at our institution, and clinical characteristics of the patients with nodules or masses without ground-glass attenuation (GGA)/consolidation type were compared with those of patients with inclusive GGA or consolidation type.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Host status was immunocompromised (81.2%) in most of the patients, and 6 (37.5%) were asymptomatic. The most frequent radiologic abnormalities on chest CT scans were one or more nodules (87.5%), GGA (37.5%), and consolidations (18.8%). Most lesions were located in the lower lung. Levels of hemoglobin and platelets were significantly lower in patients with inclusive GGA or consolidation type. Although the differences were not significant, patients with inclusive GGA or consolidation type tended to have a C-reactive protein level of ≥1.0 mg/dL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If a patient with anemia and thrombocytopenia shows GGA or consolidation in the lung, pulmonary cryptococcosis should be given careful consideration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2480-6087
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Emiri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Keitaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Shota
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.affiliation: Division of Diagnostic Pathology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5616-806X
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Kashiwa Hospital, 163-1 Kashiwashita, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8567, Japan.
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Respiratory Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuwano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed