Pulmonary tuberculosis: comparison of CT findings in HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative patients.

PURPOSE: To determine the differences in the computed tomographic (CT) appearance of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) between patients with and patients without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

CT scans and chest radiographs of 42 HIV-seropositive and 42 HIV-seronegative patients with pulmonary TB were reviewed. CD4 T-lymphocyte counts, measured in 40 seropositive patients, were at least 200 cells per microliter in 10 patients and were less that 200 cells per microliter in 30.

RESULTS

Seropositive patients had a higher prevalence of lymphadenopathy at chest radiography (P< .05). The seropositive patients had a lower prevalence of consolidation (P< .05), cavitation (P< .01), and postprimary pattern (P< .05) at CT. HIV-seropositive patients had a higher frequency of miliary (P< .01) and extrapulmonary disease (P< .001). Similar features of pulmonary TB were observed in seropositive patients with mild and severe immunosuppression.

CONCLUSION

HIV-seropositive patients had a lower prevalence of localized parenchymal disease and a higher prevalence of disseminated disease at CT.