IMAGES IN NEUROLOGY
Cerebellar cryptococcoma in a non-HIV patient
Criptococoma cerebelar em paciente HIV negativo
Fabiano ReisI; Ricardo SchwingelI; Thiago Ferreira SouzaI; Luciano de Souza QueirozII; Verônica de Araújo ZanardiI
IDepartment of Radiology of the Clinics Hospital of the State University of Campinas, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas SP, Brazil
IIDepartment of Pathology of the Clinics Hospital of the State University of Campinas, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas SP, Brazil
Correspondence Correspondence: Fabiano Reis Faculdade de Ciências Médicas Universidade Estadual de Campinas Departamento de Radiologia Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo 126 Caixa Postal: 6111 Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz 13083-887 Campinas SP - Brasil E-mail: fabianoreis2@gmail.com
A 26-year-old female, immunocompetent, with dysmetria and dysarthria. Diagnostic imaging (Fig 1) demonstrated a cerebellar mass, with a pattern which may be associated to a tumor, although multiple hypointense centers surrounded by ring enhancement after gadolinium may suggest the possibility of many types of infectious lesions, including cryptococcoma.
Histological analysis (Fig 2) confirmed the diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans.
Central nervous system cryptococcosis is rare in immunocompetent individuals and is considered an opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients1-3. In immunocompetent individuals, cryptococcoma is the most common form of cerebral involvement1,2.
This patient had a good outcome after surgery and anti-fungal therapy.
Support:
Ricardo Schwingel received financial support by FAPESP.
Received 3 December 2010
Received in final form 2 May 2011
Accepted 9 May 2011
- 1. Kesler R, Maertens P. Pontine cryptococcoma in a nonimmunocompromised individual: MRI characteristics. J Neuroimaging 1999;9:118-121.
- 2. Li Q, You C, Liu Q, Liu Y. Central nervous system cryptococcoma in immunocompetent patients: a short review illustrated by a new case. Acta Neurochir 2010;152:129-136.
- 3. Rocha AJ, Maia Junior ACM, Ferreira NPDF, Amaral LLF. Granulomatous diseases of the central nervous system. Top Magn Reson Imaging 2005; 16:155-187.
Correspondence:
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
27 Oct 2011 -
Date of issue
Oct 2011