Bacillary angiomatosis in patients with AIDS: multiorgan imaging findings

To describe the varied clinical manifestations and imaging findings encountered in bacillary angiomatosis, an infectious complication of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Clinical, imaging, and histopathologic findings in nine men (aged 26-50 years) with AIDS and bacillary angiomatosis were described. This condition often manifests as vascular skin lesions that resemble those of Kaposi sarcoma, fever, and anemia and is due to infection with Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae.

Common imaging findings included lung nodules, mediastinal adenopathy, peripheral adenopathy, pleural effusions, ascites, abdominal adenopathy, soft-tissue masses, and low-attenuation lesions in the liver and/or spleen. Most notably, nodes and soft-tissue lesions were dramatically enhanced with injection of contrast material, which is presumably because the lesions are composed to a large extent of well-formed capillaries.

Bacillary angiomatosis, a treatable infection, should be considered in patients with AIDS, particularly when Kaposi sarcoma is suspected clinically.