[Brain SPECT with 201-thallium in AIDS patients].

UNLABELLED: Brain lymphoma is a late complication in AIDS. Lymphoma incidence is increasing in AIDS patients due to the introduction of HAART and prolongation of these patients' life expectancy. This work aims to evaluate the usefulness of brain SPECT with 201Tl in patients with AIDS who present focal brain lesions in computed tomography (CT).

METHODS

Seventeen patients with neurologic symptoms and focal neurologic lesions in the CNS (central nervous system) were studied. The images were interpreted as positive when the intensity of the focal deposit of the tracer was greater than that of the adjacent tissue. The SPECT results were compared with serologic data, clinical evolution and/or radiologic follow-up and cerebral biopsy.

RESULTS

SPECT images showed focal uptake of radiotracer in 3 patients. All three died shortly after the SPECT was performed. All of them had negative serology for toxoplasmosis. Four patients were diagnosed of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and the ten remaining cases had a good clinical and/or radiologic response.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain SPECT with 201Tl is a very useful non-invasive technique for the differential diagnosis of cerebral focal lesions in AIDS patients.