Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: neuroradiologic findings.

Abstract

CNS complications depicted by CT [computerized tomography] in 10 patients acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are described. Three patients had multifocal intra-axial enhancing lesions representing atypical brain abscesses (3 with toxoplasmosis, 1 with candidiasis). A 4th patient with multifocal ring lesion lesions whose biopsy was interpreted as suggestive of toxoplasmosis responded poorly to treatment. Following his death 3 mo. later of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, autopsy revealed primary intracerebral immunoblastic lymphoma. One patient had Kaposi sarcoma involving the right frontal lobe (seen as an enhancing mass on the CT scan). CT findings in the remaining 5 patients revealed mild to moderate enlargement of CSF spaces (including ventricles and basal cisternae) as a result of cryptococcal meningitis in 3 patients and aspectic meningitis in 2. The 2 patients in whom early biopsy confirmed toxoplasmosis responded well to anti-infective therapy, resulting in dramatic clinical recoveries.