Encephalopathy in AIDS patients: evaluation with MR imaging.
The presence and extent of encephalopathy were evaluated in 47 patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex (ARC) by the use of MR imaging. Twenty-nine (62%) of the patients showed some form of white matter disease, exhibited as high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Focal white matter lesions were seen in 23 (49%) of the patients, while a diffuse white matter process was observed in six patients (13%). Of the 29 patients who had white matter disease on MR scans, 17 (36%) had a suggestion of white matter involvement on an initial CT study. Meanwhile, 12 (26%) of the patients had a normal CT scan on the initial examination. MR findings showed predominant disease in the subinsular and peritrigonal white matter areas. Marked cerebral atrophy was observed in 17 (36%) of 47 patients, cerebellar atrophy in 18 (38%), and brainstem atrophy in seven patients (15%). Pathologic findings showed that toxoplasmosis was present in eight patients (17%), and primary CNS lymphoma was present in three patients (6%). Cryptococcal meningitis was noted in two (4%) of the patients at autopsy, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was seen in one (2%) of the patients at autopsy. MR imaging has been shown to be a valuable technique for the detection of encephalopathy in AIDS patients.
Flowers
C H
CH
Department of Radiology, University of Illinois, Chicago 60680.
Mafee
M F
MF
Crowell
R
R
Raofi
B
B
Arnold
P
P
Dobben
G
G
Wycliffe
N
N
D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies