Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Monitoring Tumor Metastases and Osteolytic Lesions with Bioluminescence and Micro CT Imaging
08:04

Monitoring Tumor Metastases and Osteolytic Lesions with Bioluminescence and Micro CT Imaging

Published on: April 14, 2011

25.3K

Lumbar Cryptococcal Osteomyelitis Mimicking Metastatic Tumor.

Hyun Seok Joo1, Jung-Ki Ha1, Chang Ju Hwang1

  • 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Asian Spine Journal
|October 6, 2015
PubMed
Summary

This case report highlights a rare instance of lumbar cryptococcosis, a fungal infection, in an immunocompetent patient. It mimics metastatic cancer, emphasizing the need for awareness in differential diagnosis.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Development and validation of the Korean version of the Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association Score: a prospective questionnaire study.

Asian spine journal·2026
Same author

Distal instrumentation failure after posterior spinal fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: Incidence, risk factors, and radiographic consequences.

Spine deformity·2026
Same author

Clinical Significance of Early MRI Assessment Following Separation Surgery for Metastatic Spinal Cord Compression.

The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society·2026
Same author

Straightening the facts: early versus late adolescent surgery in idiopathic scoliosis.

Journal of pediatric orthopedics. Part B·2026
Same author

Vertebral body sliding osteotomy as a less invasive alternative to 540° surgery for cervical myelopathy with rigid kyphosis.

European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·2026
Same author

Comparison of Hook Fixation and Vertebroplasty for Prevention of Proximal Junctional Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Global spine journal·2026

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Cryptococcus is a yeast-like fungus typically causing infection in immunocompromised individuals.
  • Isolated vertebral fungal infections are uncommon, especially in immunocompetent hosts.
  • Metastatic cancer is a common cause of vertebral lesions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of isolated lumbar vertebral cryptococcosis in an immunocompetent patient.
  • To discuss the diagnostic challenges posed by this fungal infection mimicking metastatic cancer.
  • To raise awareness among clinicians regarding this rare differential diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 66-year-old female patient.
  • Diagnostic workup including imaging studies (presumed metastatic spine cancer).
Keywords:
CryptococcusLumbar vertebraeNeoplasm metastasisOsteomyelitis

More Related Videos

Minimally Invasive Cisterna Magna Injection Model for Leptomeningeal Metastasis Studies in Mice
07:14

Minimally Invasive Cisterna Magna Injection Model for Leptomeningeal Metastasis Studies in Mice

Published on: May 23, 2025

2.1K
A Murine Ommaya Xenograft Model to Study Direct-Targeted Therapy of Leptomeningeal Disease
07:17

A Murine Ommaya Xenograft Model to Study Direct-Targeted Therapy of Leptomeningeal Disease

Published on: January 29, 2021

6.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 1, 2026

Monitoring Tumor Metastases and Osteolytic Lesions with Bioluminescence and Micro CT Imaging
08:04

Monitoring Tumor Metastases and Osteolytic Lesions with Bioluminescence and Micro CT Imaging

Published on: April 14, 2011

25.3K
Minimally Invasive Cisterna Magna Injection Model for Leptomeningeal Metastasis Studies in Mice
07:14

Minimally Invasive Cisterna Magna Injection Model for Leptomeningeal Metastasis Studies in Mice

Published on: May 23, 2025

2.1K
A Murine Ommaya Xenograft Model to Study Direct-Targeted Therapy of Leptomeningeal Disease
07:17

A Murine Ommaya Xenograft Model to Study Direct-Targeted Therapy of Leptomeningeal Disease

Published on: January 29, 2021

6.8K
  • Surgical operation with subsequent pathological examination for definitive diagnosis.

    • Main Results:

    • The patient, despite no immunocompromise, presented with isolated lumbar vertebral cryptococcosis.
    • Pathological examination confirmed cryptococcal osteomyelitis, not metastatic cancer.
    • The patient had a history of treated rectal cancer.

    Conclusions:

    • Lumbar cryptococcosis can present as a rare mimic of vertebral metastatic cancer.
    • Clinicians should consider fungal infections in the differential diagnosis of vertebral lesions, even in immunocompetent patients.
    • Awareness of rare presentations of Cryptococcus is crucial for accurate diagnosis and timely treatment.