[Hepatic and splenic abscesses in immunosuppressed patients]

Morphologic characteristics of hepatosplenic abscesses using ultrasound and CT examinations in 13 immunosuppressed patients are presented. Additionally, the results of diagnostic ultrasound and CT guided biopsy procedures (n = 13) are reported. On sonograms, bacterial abscesses were exclusively hypoechoic lesions whereas patients with mycotic abscesses showed additionally target lesions and lesions presenting a "wheels-within-wheels" appearance. Thus, with some limitations, us might help to differentiate between fungal and bacterial abscesses. On CT, all patients presented uniformly with hypodense lesions. Follow-up ultrasound studies showed these abscesses over periods as long as 24 months; biopsy proved some of these as fibrotic lesions without vital bacteria or fungi.