Abstract
A 37 year-old man was admitted because of a coin lesion on chest x-ray film. He exhibited no respiratory symptoms. The nodular shadow lay in the right lower lung field (S6) and showed indentation. Laboratory data suggested no obvious abnormality. Sputum cultures for cryptococcus, bacteria and tubercle bacillus were negative and sputum cytology was class I. A transbronchial biopsy was performed but failed to reveal any sign of disease. PPD skin test was markedly positive. Various examinations failed to diagnosis. Tuberculoma or cancer of the lung was suspected. Open-lung biopsy was performed and the indented tumor lay in S6. Tubercle bacillus smear of the specimen was negative. Stamp cytology of the specimen showed giant cells with multiple sherical bodies surrounded by a clear halo. A diagnosis of pulmonary cryptococcosis was confirmed and right S6 segmentectomy was performed. Histological findings of the resected specimen showed granuloma on Cryptococcus neoformans. This case showed the usefulness of open-lung stamp cytology procedures for diagnosis.
