ABSTRACT
The radiologic appearance of multiple discrete pulmonary nodules in immunocompetent patients, with cryptococcal infection, has been rarely described. We describe a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis, presenting with bilaterally and randomly distributed nodules on a computed tomography, mimicking hematogeneous metastases. Positron emission tomography does not demonstrate 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake, suggesting a low probability for malignancy, which is a crucial piece of information for clinicians when making a management decision. We find the absence of FDG uptake correlates with the pathologic finding of an infectious nodule, composed of fibrosis and necrosis.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Cryptococcosis/metabolism , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Immunocompetence , Lung Diseases, Fungal/metabolism , Lung Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Multimodal Imaging/methods , Multiple Pulmonary Nodules/diagnostic imaging , Positron-Emission Tomography/methods , Radiopharmaceuticals , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methodsABSTRACT
Diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm of the aorta or its main branches is a challenge in patients with blunt chest trauma. Computed tomography helps to demonstrate intrathoracic hemorrhage and suspected great vascular injury when a chest radiograph reveals widening of the mediastinum. Aortic angiography remains the gold standard in the determination of the site, and severity of vascular injury for definitive surgical intervention. Timing of surgical repair is controversial. Delayed repair of traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the aorta after primary control of associate injuries decreases mortality significantly, thus improving prognosis. We report a case of successful repair of a traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the aortic arch with extension to the left common carotid artery in an 18-year-old female patient. The diagnosis, surgical approaches, and timing of operation are discussed along with case presentation