Study Of Chest Imaging Manifestations Of Mycobacterium Avium Complex Infection In Patients With AIDS

ObjectiveTo study and investigate the chest radiographic and CT manifestations ofmycobacterium avium complex(MAC) infection in patients with acquiredimmunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). And compare the imaging findings withpulmonary tuberculosis in patients with AIDS.Material and methods30AIDS patients diagnosed MAC infection and50pulmonary tuberculosis bybacteriologically proven were retrospectively studied. Their clinical data and chestX-ray or/and CT scan data were analyzed. The imaging manifestations were observed,which including distribution, quantity, shape, size, density and boundary of nidus inlung, mediastinal、 hilar、 axillary lymph nodes.extrapulmonary manifestations:retroperitoneal lymph nodes, liver/spleen.ResultsThe imaging findings of MAC infection in AIDS show varied forms, thecommon CT findings included bronchiectasis, opacities, airspace consolidation,multiple nodules, miliary nodules, ground-glass attenuation, cavity, enlarged lymphnodes(mediastinal、hilar、axillary),pleural effusion et al. The imaging findings ofpulmonary MAC infection were similar to the pulmonary tuberculosis. The differenceof radiograph findings below were significant in statistics:bronchiectasis were significantly more common in MAC group (66.7%,18/27)than in pulmonarytuberculosis group(40%,20/50),P=0.026. Pleural thicken were significantly morecommon seen in pulmonary tuberculosis group(32%,16/50) than in MACgroup(11.1%,3/27),P=0.042. Multiple low density nodules of the spleen:MACgroup:0%,pulmonary tuberculosis group:42.9%,the difference were the significant instatistics(P=0.02).ConclusionsThe imaging appearances of MAC infection in AIDS were various,the common CT findings included bronchiectasis,opacities,airspace consolidation, multiple nodules, miliary nodules, accompanied with enlarged mediastinal or/and hilar lymph nodes.Some imaging findings of pulmonary MAC infection were overlap with pulmonary tuberculosis.Bronchiectasis is more common seen in MACthan pulmonary tuberculosis. Pleural thicken were more common seen in pulmonary tuberculosis than in MAC.Low density nodules foci in the spleen were more common in the MAC infection than pulmonary tuberculosis.