The spectrum of radiological findings in neurocryptococcosis: case series and systematic review

TL;DR

This study examines the range of radiological findings in neurocryptococcosis through case analysis and a systematic review to improve diagnosis and clinical decision-making.

Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive analysis of radiological patterns in neurocryptococcosis using both case series and a systematic literature review.

Findings

Imaging is valuable for early diagnosis and assessing the extent of neurocryptococcosis.

The study identified various radiological patterns associated with the disease.

Systematic review methods were used to refine clinical and radiological features.

Abstract

This study involved a retrospective analysis of nine cases of neurocryptococcosis
(eight from our institution and one from another institution) seen between May
2014 and May 2022, together with a systematic review of the literature indexed
in the PubMed, Embase, and Lilacs databases. Clinical and radiological features
of those cases were further refined via an additional comprehensive literature
review. The following search string was employed: cryptococcosis AND central
nervous system AND (magnetic resonance imaging OR X-ray computed tomography).
The search was limited to articles published between July 1978 and May 2022. Two
authors, working independently, searched for and selected studies that met the
inclusion criteria, and another author reviewed conflicts in a blinded manner.
We used Rayyan.ai software to organize the studies, and the review was
structured in accordance with the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Understanding the prevalence of different
patterns of neurocryptococcosis is crucial for improving diagnosis and
supporting decision-making in clinical practice. Our review of the literature
demonstrated that imaging examinations are a valuable resource for early
diagnosis, as well as for assessment of the initial extent and pattern of the
disease.

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