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Abdominal abnormalities in AIDS: detection at US in a large population
F J Smith1, J R Mathieson, P L Cooperberg
1Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada.
Radiology
|September 1, 1994
Summary
Abdominal ultrasonography (US) revealed increasing abnormalities in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) from 1983 to 1991. Common findings included splenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and gallbladder issues, correlating with clinical indications.
Area of Science:
- Radiology and Imaging
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) can manifest with various abdominal complications.
- Abdominal ultrasonography (US) is a key imaging modality for evaluating these complications.
- Understanding the prevalence and temporal trends of US findings in AIDS patients is crucial for clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of abdominal abnormalities detected by US in patients with AIDS.
- To analyze the temporal changes in the prevalence of these abnormalities over time.
- To correlate clinical indications with specific US-detected abnormalities in AIDS patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 684 abdominal US studies performed between 1983 and 1991 on 414 AIDS patients.
- Analysis of 399 reviewed US studies, representing 89.36% of the total AIDS patient population in the province.
- Correlation of US findings with clinical indications such as hepatosplenomegaly and abnormal liver function tests.
Main Results:
- Abnormalities were identified in 264 of 399 reviewed US studies (66.2%).
- Most frequent abnormalities included splenomegaly (n=124), lymphadenopathy (n=83), gallbladder/bile duct issues (n=80), hepatomegaly (n=77), and ascites (n=54).
- The prevalence of abnormal US findings increased significantly from 25% in 1984 to 81% in 1990.
Conclusions:
- The prevalence of abdominal abnormalities detected by ultrasonography in AIDS patients has markedly increased since 1983.
- US is valuable in identifying and correlating abdominal pathologies in the context of AIDS.
- Enlarged lymph nodes (>3 cm) were indicative of pathology beyond reactive hyperplasia.