Triple-dose contrast-enhanced images in neurologically symptomatic HIV-positive patients

Our purpose was to determine whether triple-dose delayed contrast-enhanced images would improve lesion detection in patients with symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We reviewed 33 MRI studies on 29 patients. Single-dose immediate T1-weighted spin-echo (1x-T1) images were compared with delayed triple-dose images (D3x-T1). Two neuroradiologists decided which technique showed more lesions, increased lesion conspicuity and/or altered the radiologic diagnosis. The D3x-T1 technique improved lesion detection in 14 of 29 patients (48%). In two patients (7%), the improvement changed the radiologic diagnosis by showing new meningeal lesions.