[CT findings of primary pulmonary cryptococcosis]

Ten cases of primary pulmonary cryptococcosis are presented. The patients' ages ranged from 19 to 71 years and all were males. All patients underwent chest X-ray, tomography and CT (two cases were in additional to HRCT). The most common radiographic findings were single masses (70%) which had to be differentiated from lung cancer or pulmonary tuberculosis. The second pattern of involvement was that of multiple nodules (20%) which may be mistaken for tuberculosis. The third was an infiltrative pneumonitis shadow (10%). By means of CT (HRCT), we revealed that most cryptococcosis lesions exist in the posterior segments (S2, S1, S6 and S1+2) and show cavity formation (30%). Therefore, CT, especially HRCT, may be useful for the differentiation of pulmonary cryptococcosis from neoplasm.