A case of cerebral cryptococcosis, with special reference to computerized tomography findings

A case of cryptococcosis simulating brain tumor was reviewed. A 66-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with chief complaint of vertigo, gait disturbance and dysarthria. These symptoms started about one year before admission and worsened. Vomiting and urinary incontinence appeared. Neurological examination revealed left cerebellar ataxia and dysarthria. In plain CT (computerized tomography) irregular ill-defined low density area was noted in the cerebellar vermis and bilateral cerebellar hemispheres. And slight ventricular dilatation was found. Irregular shape of ring-like enhancement corresponding to capsule and patchy or mottled enhancement inside the tumor were seen. Suboccipital craniectomy was performed and yellowish necrotic tumor with hard capsule was removed. Histological diagnosis was not neoplasm or tuberculoma. Postoperatively liver function progressively worsened. She died due to disseminated intravascular coagulation. Autopsy revealed typical liver cirrhosis without malignant change. 3.0 X 2.5 cm sized, slightly hard, yellowish lesion was found on upper part of cerebellar hemispheres. This had extremely necrotic tissue and a great number of cryptococcus neoformans were found. And other intracranial lesion was not confirmed. Finding of pulmonary cryptococcosis was not gained. Our case is very rare because of solitary cerebellar abscess and absence of meningitic episode or pulmonary cryptococcosis. There are three types of inflammation in cerebral cryptococcosis. The commonest manifestation is the meningitic type, the second mode is granulomatous lesion and the third and the least presentation is intracranial abscess formation. CT reveals various findings according to clinical stage. CT findings are those of meningitis, meningoencephalitis, granuloma and abscess. Cryptococcal granuloma or abscess often simulates brain abscess, glioma and metastatic brain tumor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)