Disseminated histoplasmosis with bilateral adrenal enlargement: diagnosis by computed tomography-directed needle biopsy

Abstract

Disseminated histoplasmosis is a rare and potentially fatal disease caused by the dimorphic soil fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. We describe a 67-year-old man with diabetes who presented with a 6-month history of fever, weight loss, and mental deterioration; using computed tomography (CT), we found hepatosplenomegaly and bilateral adrenal masses. CT-directed adrenal biopsy showed yeast forms consistent with H capsulatum. Therapy with ketoconazole was accompanied by adrenal insufficiency (treated successfully with prednisone and fludrocortisone) and produced an excellent therapeutic response. We address the differential diagnosis of bilateral adrenal enlargement, and we discuss the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of disseminated histoplasmosis, a disease that includes parts of the Southwestern United States in its endemic region.