Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the CT features of patients with pulmonary fungal infection mimicking thoracic tumor and to increase awareness for both clinicans and radiologists to avoid misdiagnosis.Methods The clinical and CT findingsfrom 53 patients with pulmonary fungal infection mimicking tumor were reviewed retrospectively.Results Of 53 patients with pulmonary fungal infection,32 (60.4%) were cryptococcosis,21 (39.6%) were aspergillosis,29 (54.7%) were single lesion and 24 (45.3%) were multiple lesions.CT findings included nodules 30 (56.6%),mass 10 (18.9%),or both 13 (24.5%).The median lesion size was 2.5 cm (range 1.0-7.0 cm).The lesions were in 53 patients,32 (60.4%) were adjacent to the pleura,21 (39.6%) were in other places.There was no statistically significant difference in characteristics,shape,lobulation,spiculation,halo sign and other additional lesions such aspatchinvasiveinfection,miliary nodules,lyphadenopathy,pleural thickening and pleural effusion (P>0.05).There was statistically significant difference in location (χ²=10.633),margin (χ²=4.828) and cavity (χ²=18.702)(P<0.05).Conclusion Cryptococcosis and aspergillosis were more common in pulmonary fungal infection mimicking tumor.The CT findings were characteristic in two different fungal infection.The differential diagnosis from pulmonary malignancy should combine CT findings with clinical.

Key words: Pulmonary fungal infection, Cryptococcosis, Aspergillosis, Computed tomography