IMAGING OF GASTROINTESTINAL MANIFESTATIONS IN AIDS

A review of the gastrointestinal disorders in the acquired immune deficiency syndrome was made; we describe the most frecuent radiologic findings in this group of patients. The gastrointestinal tract is the target organ more frecuently involved by the opportunistic infections, following the opportunistic pneumonias. Thickening of the duodenum folds highly suggests infection by Cryptosporidium. Both Cryptosporidium and citomegalovirus cause cholangitis in this group of patients. Although colitis is due to a variety of pathogens, cytomegalovirus colitis is unique to AIDS patients. Focal hepatic involvement is four times more frequent in AIDS related lymphoma. Diffuse hepatic or splenic infiltration, lesions smaller than one cm, are better seen by ultrasound than by computed tomography. Because of the high incidence of retroperitoneal or mesenteric limphadenopathy, computed tomography should be considered the first examination of choice in most AIDS patients.