COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY FOR DIAGNOSIS OF INTE STINAL CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION IN AIDS

To check the value of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of cyt omegalovirus (CMV) infection of the intestine, CT findings in ten pati ents with coloscopically proven CMV infection were reviewed. All patie nts were chronically ill men with AIDS. In nine of the ten cases CT sc ans of the small intestine and/or colon disclosed abnormalities. The p redominant alteration (9/9) was a symmetric wall thickening in the bow el segments involved (10-30 mm). The location and extent showed good a greement with the inflammatory areas seen on coloscopy. The cecum and terminal ileum were the regions most frequently affected. In seven of the nine patients with CT abnormalities CT revealed pericolonic inflam mation, particularly around the cecum. Lymph nodes were increased but not enlarged. Comparison of the findings in intestinal CMV infection w ith those in other AIDS-related diseases suggests that CT may be to li mit the differential diagnosis. Abdominal CT serves as suitable primar y imaging modality for the initial evaluation of patients with AIDS an d abdominal symptoms of unknown etiology.