Related Experiment Videos
CT of intracranial cryptococcosis
M J Popovich1, R H Arthur, E Helmer
1Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|January 1, 1990
Summary
CT scans reveal that intracranial cryptococcal infections often present as normal studies or nonspecific findings like atrophy and mass lesions (cryptococcoma). Consider CNS cryptococcosis in at-risk patients with these CT abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
Background:
- Intracranial cryptococcosis is a serious opportunistic infection.
- Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for patient outcomes.
- Computed Tomography (CT) is a primary neuroimaging modality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To retrospectively review CT findings in patients with confirmed intracranial cryptococcosis.
- To identify characteristic and atypical imaging patterns.
- To assess the utility of CT in diagnosing CNS cryptococcosis.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of CT scans from 35 patients diagnosed with intracranial cryptococcosis.
- Categorization of imaging findings including normal studies, atrophy, mass lesions, hydrocephalus, and edema.
- Review of specific cryptococcoma morphologies.
Main Results:
- 43% of CT scans were normal.
- Positive findings included diffuse atrophy (34%), cryptococcoma (11%), hydrocephalus (9%), and cerebral edema (3%).
- Unusual cryptococcoma types observed: gelatinous pseudocysts and intraventricular cysts. All findings were nonspecific.
Conclusions:
- Central Nervous System (CNS) cryptococcosis should be suspected in at-risk patients presenting with nonspecific CT abnormalities.
- CT findings alone are not definitive for diagnosing CNS cryptococcosis.
- Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging may aid in visualizing lesions like gelatinous pseudocysts not seen on CT.