title: Accuracy of high-resolution CT in distinguishing between Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and non- Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS patients.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the value of high-resolution CT in distinguishing between Pneumocystis carinii and non- Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients HIV-positive and high risk to have PCP. We performed a prospective study in 30 patients with <200 CD4 lymphocytes, clinical symptoms of pulmonary disease and chest X-ray non-conclusive for pulmonary infection. Evaluated CT findings included ground-glass opacities, reticulation, tree-in-bud appearance, consolidation, cystic lesions, bronchiectasis and lymphadenopathies. The diagnosis of "examination suggestive of PCP" was applied to cases showing a diffuse or predominant ground-glass pattern in the upper fields, associated or not with reticulations and small cystic lesions. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for the diagnosis of PCP was 100, 83.3, 90.5 and 100%, respectively. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was not demonstrated in any of the cases classified as "examination not suggestive of PCP". Significant small airway disease was not observed in any of the PCP cases. We conclude that HRCT is a reliable method for differentiating PCP from other infectious processes in HIV-positive patients and a good method to rule our PCP. Its inclusion in the diagnostic algorithm of lung infections is justified in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital General Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Paseo Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. hidalgo@hg.vhebron.es
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Falcó
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mauleón
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andreu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ribera
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pahissa
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cáceres
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed