American Journal of Roentgenology, Vol 154, 603-606, Copyright © 1990 by American Roentgen Ray Society
CT of intracranial cryptococcosis
MJ Popovich, RH Arthur and E Helmer
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Los Angeles, CA 90027.
CT scans of 35 patients with intracranial cryptococcal infection were
reviewed retrospectively. Studies were normal in 43% of the patients.
Positive findings in others included diffuse atrophy in 34%, mass lesions
(cryptococcoma) in 11%, hydrocephalus in 9%, and diffuse cerebral edema in
3%. Two unusual types of cryptococcoma were encountered, namely gelatinous
pseudocysts and an intraventricular cryptococcal cyst. All findings were
nonspecific for CNS cryptococcosis. The results suggest that CNS
cryptococcosis should be considered in all patients at risk for the disease
who have these abnormal CT findings, no matter what their initial clinical
presentation. In addition, MR demonstration of gelatinous pseudocysts in
one patient indicates that this technique may be helpful in locating
cryptococcal mass lesions not visualized on CT.