title: HIV infection: analysis in 259 consecutive patients with abnormal abdominal CT findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate abdominal computed tomographic (CT) findings in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  CT scans with abnormal findings in 259 patients (247 men, 12 women; age range, 21-60 years) with HIV infection were analyzed. Diagnoses were mycobacterial infection (n = 87), lymphoproliferative disease (n = 63), Kaposi sarcoma (n = 17), fungal infection (n = 17), hepatocellular disease (n = 13), Pneumocystis carinii infection (n = 8), other disorders (n = 39), or unknown (n = 30).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Abnormal findings included lymph-node enlargement (n = 159), hepatomegaly (n = 100), splenomegaly (n = 62), gastrointestinal mass or wall thickening (n = 61), and low-attenuation lesions in the liver (n = 50) or spleen (n = 55). Diagnoses thought to account for CT findings were made (n = 229) or suspected (n = 18) in 247 (95%) of the 259 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In most patients with HIV infection, abnormal abdominal CT findings are due to a second disease. Even relatively nonspecific findings should not be ascribed to HIV infection and should prompt a search for an opportunistic infection or neoplasm.
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000821:virology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006660:Histoplasmosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000821:virology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000821:virology; D016483:Lymphoma, AIDS-Related / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009181:Mycoses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016720:Pneumocystis Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging