title: Pulmonary cryptococcosis manifesting as diffuse air-space consolidations in an immunocompetent patient.
abstract: Pulmonary cryptococcosis is an opportunity infection commonly occurred in the immunocompromised patients. However pulmonary cryptococcosis in the immunocompetent was reported up to 35% and these cases tend to show confined and localized radiologic findings than in immunocompromised patients. To our knowledge, extensive air-space consolidations have not frequently occurred in the immunocompetent patient. Therefore, in this case, we report a rare case of a 73-year-old woman who was diagnosed with pulmonary cryptococcosis, manifesting as diffuse air-space consolidations even though normal immune status. Thus, the possibility of pulmonary cryptococcosis should be considered when a patient with a normal immune status presents without respiratory symptoms are accompanied by consolidation on imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Semin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: In Won
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Cryptococcosis; X-ray; computed tomography (CT); immunocompetence