Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in AIDS: high-resolution CT findings in five patients

The aim of this study was to describe the high-resolution CT scan findings in five patients with AIDS and pulmonary infection due to Rhodococcus equi. The study included five patients with AIDS and proven R. equi infection. The CT scans were reviewed by two observers. The patients included four men and one woman ranging from 39 years to 49 years in age (mean 42 years). The findings included areas of consolidation (n=5) with single (n=1) or multiple cavitation (n=4), ground-glass opacities (n=5), centrilobular nodules (n=3), small centrilobular nodular opacities (n=3) and "tree in bud" opacities (n=3). None of the patients had pleural effusion or lymph node enlargement. The most common high-resolution CT manifestations of R. equi infection consist of areas of consolidation with cavitation, ground-glass opacities, nodules and a tree-in-bud pattern.