title: Thymic tissue is not evident on high-resolution computed tomography and [¹⁸F]fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography scans of aviraemic HIV patients with poor recovery of CD4⁺ T cells.
abstract: Some previously immunodeficient HIV patients responding to antiretroviral therapy display poor recovery of CD4⁺ T cells. Evaluation of the contribution of thymic function requires sensitive detection and quantitation of metabolically active thymic tissue. We describe patients with low but detectable thymopoiesis assessed as circulating CD4⁺ naive T cells expressing CD31. High-resolution computed tomography and PET scans found no residual thymic tissue even though metabolic activity was demonstrable by PET in lymph nodes.
authors.affiliation: School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaskovic
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Martyn A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: Roger I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Swithin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Robins
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Price
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D019562:Viral Load