HIV infection: analysis in 259 consecutive patients with abnormal abdominal CT findings.
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.
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