Clinical studies of sixteen cases with pulmonary
cryptococcosis, during the past six years between 1998 and 2004, were peformed mainly with respect to serum cryptococcal
antigen titer. Serum cryptococcal
antigen was positive in twelve of 16 cases, the other three cases were diagnosed by VATS, the other one by positive culture of cryptococcus in BALF. In these twelve cases, the serum cryptococcal
antigen titer was continuously tested
after treatment. The serum cryptococcal
antigen titer decreased from half to 6 months
after treatment. And the cryptococcal Ag changed to negative in six of the 12 cases by
antifungal agents from 5 to 19 months. But four cases whose
pneumonia was severe tended to have a high titer level of cryptococcal
antigen and were positive for a long period. In the Chest CT of four pulmonary
cryptococcosis case with negative cryptococcal
antigen, all of the maximum nodule size was less than or equal to 15mm in diameter.