Disseminated coccidioidomycosis. The role of cytology in multidisciplinary clinical approach and diagnosis.

A case of clinically unsuspected disseminated coccidioidomycosis diagnosed by different cytologic approaches and confirmed by mycological culture is reported. An African-American man presented with a clinical picture of pneumonia not responding to antibiotics. He subsequently developed a large neck mass and was found to have mediastinal and hilar adenopathy highly suspicious of a neoplastic process. Fine needle aspiration biopsy of the neck mass, followed by flexible bronchoscopy, was performed. Various cytologic approaches and techniques in rapid diagnosis of suspicious masses are discussed.