Gastrointestinal manifestations of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: radiologic-pathologic correlation

Gastrointestinal diseases are common in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In this review, the radiologic and pathologic findings of these diseases in AIDS patients are illustrated with cases from the archives of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Diseases are categorized in two etiologic groups, opportunistic infections and AIDS-related neoplasms. Opportunistic infections include those caused by viral, fungal, protozoan, and bacterial pathogens. The AIDS-related neoplasms of primary importance are Kaposi sarcoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The radiologic findings of these gastrointestinal diseases are frequently nonspecific. However, interpretation of the images with knowledge of the underlying pathologic entities and the level of compromise of the immune system helps narrow the differential diagnosis and often helps identify the presumptive diagnosis.