Pulmonary involvement in Kaposi sarcoma: correlation between imaging and pathology

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Infectious Diseases
• Radiology

Background:

• Kaposi sarcoma is a vascular tumor with four variants, frequently affecting HIV-infected individuals.
• Pulmonary involvement is common in critically immunosuppressed patients, often following mucocutaneous or digestive disease.
• Human herpesvirus type 8 is strongly associated with Kaposi sarcoma etiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the diagnostic role of radiological findings in pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma.
• To correlate imaging features with histopathological evidence of tumor growth.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical, radiographic, and laboratory findings.
• Analysis of bronchoscopy and transbronchial biopsy results.
• Correlation of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings with histopathology.

Main Results:

• HRCT commonly shows peribronchovascular and interlobular septal thickening, nodules, and mediastinal adenopathies.
• Radiographic patterns reflect tumor infiltration of bronchovascular bundles and interstitial spaces.
• Ground-glass attenuation areas indicate edema and hemorrhage.

Conclusions:

• Radiological findings, particularly characteristic HRCT patterns, are vital for diagnosing pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma.
• These patterns are highly suggestive of Kaposi sarcoma in patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).