Cryptococcoma Presenting as a Central Nervous System Mass in an Immunocompetent Patient

A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are rare fungal pathogens that typically present in immunocompromised patients making it a rare differential diagnosis in an immunocompetent patient. We present a case of an immunocompetent 39-year-old patient who was diagnosed with a central nervous system cryptococcoma from a biopsy pathology report that was originally evaluated for high-grade glioma. Subsequently, the patient underwent lumbar puncture with cerebrospinal fluid analysis that indicated an active central nervous system infection. Although this patient's diagnosis and management of cryptococcosis did not unfold in a traditional manner, combination of surgical resection and antifungal therapy completely resolved his neurological symptoms.