Thoracic CT findings in long-term hemodialysis patients

Purpose. To evaluate thoracic CT findings of long-term hemodialysis patient s. Material and Methods: Thoracic CT findings of 117 uremic patients (61 men, 56 women) with complaints of cough, dyspnea, low-grade pyrexia, malaise, we ight loss, and profuse perspiration were retrospectively documented. Results. Atelectasis (60%), cardiomegaly (60%), pleural effusion (51%), vas cular congestion (44%), parenchymal consolidation (38%), parenchymal scarri ng-fibrosis (31%), and lymphadenopathy (29%) were the most common CT findin gs in the thoraces of the long-term hemodialysis patients. Staphylococcus a ureus was detected in 13 patients (11%) who had parenchymal infiltration. T horacic tuberculosis was identified in 15 patients (13%), 11 of these cases being confined to the lung parenchyma, 3 to the pleura, and 1 involving th e pleura and pericardium. Conclusion: In patients under long-term hemodialysis treatment, parenchymal consolidation, secondary to infectious agents such as S. aureus and Mycoba cterium tuberculosis, is the most important CT finding since these lesions can be detected and treated successfully if they are considered as etiologi c factors early on.