Pulmonary cryptococcosis: radiologic-pathologic correlates of its three forms.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Infectious Diseases
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Pulmonary cryptococcosis is a fungal infection affecting the lungs.
• Radiographic findings are crucial for diagnosis but can be varied.
• Pathologic correlation is essential for accurate interpretation of imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the radiographic appearance of pulmonary cryptococcosis.
• To correlate radiographic findings with pathologic data in human and animal cases.
• To identify distinctive radiographic features of pulmonary cryptococcosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of radiographic and pathologic materials from 23 human and 3 zoo animal cases.
• Review of radiographs from 44 additional cases with microbiologic confirmation.
• Categorization of disease forms based on radiographic and pathologic findings.

Main Results:

• Three forms of pulmonary cryptococcosis were identified: air-space collections (well-defined masses), granulomatous infection (consolidation, poorly defined masses, infiltrative masses, lymphadenopathy), and airway colonization (no specific findings).
• The 'infiltrative mass' was the most specific radiographic finding, appearing as a mass in one view and an infiltrate in a perpendicular view.
• Granulomatous infection was the most common form observed (21 cases).

Conclusions:

• Pulmonary cryptococcosis exhibits diverse radiographic manifestations.
• The 'infiltrative mass' is a key diagnostic indicator.
• Pathologic correlation enhances the understanding of radiographic abnormalities in pulmonary cryptococcosis.