Hepatic lesions of chronic disseminated candidiasis may become invisible during neutropenia

We describe the phenomenon of waning of focal hepatic and/or splenic lesions on abdominal computed tomographic (CT) scan during neutropenia in patients with chronic disseminated candidiasis. After observation of the phenomenon in one patient, a total of five cases were prospectively monitored with serial CT scans. After the diagnosis of disseminated candidiasis, hepatic lesions decreased in size and conspicuousness in three patients, while in two others they disappeared completely during a subsequent chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. After recovery of the neutrophils, the lesions reappeared or increased in conspicuousness in all five patients. Of three patients treated with a second cycle of myeloablative chemotherapy, lesions again decreased in two patients during neutropenia and increased again in one patient after neutrophil recovery. In all five patients, candidiasis eventually resolved after prolonged antifungal treatment. In chronic disseminated candidiasis, hepatic or splenic lesions may transiently disappear during neutropenia. Thus, antifungal therapy should not be discontinued on the basis of radiologic findings alone. (C) 1997 by The American Society of Hematology.