Skip to main content
Log in

Intracranial tuberculosis in AIDS: CT and MRI findings

  • Diagnostic Neuroradiology
  • Published:
Neuroradiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

CT and MRI findings in 35 patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and proven intracranial tuberculosis (TB) are presented. Over 90% of the patients were intravenous drug abusers and in two-thrids TB was the first manifestation of AIDS. CT was normal in one quarter, the most frequent findings being hydrocephalus (51%) and meningeal enhancement (41%), commonly seen together (31.5%). Meningeal enhancement was seen in 48% of the CT studies with intravenous contrast medium and in 3 cases studied with MRI and iv gadolinium DPTA, in 2 of which CT was negative. Parenchymal involvement was found in 37% of cases; MRI was more sensitive than CT for its detection. One quarter of the patients had ischaemic lesions, mainly in the basal ganglia. We confirm the usefulness of CT and the superiority of MRI in the diagnosis of intracranial TB and in differential diagnosis from other conditions likely to be found in these patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kelly WM, Brant-Zawadzki MB (1983) Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: neuroradiologic findings. Radiology 149:485–491

    Google Scholar 

  2. Whelan MA, Kricheff II, Handler M, Ho V, Crystal K, Copinathan G, Laubenstein L (1883) Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: cerebral computed tomographic manifestations. Radiology 149:477–484

    Google Scholar 

  3. Pitchenik AE, Fischl MA, Walls KW (1983) Evaluation of cerebral mass lesions in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. N Eng J Med 308:1099

    Google Scholar 

  4. Berger JR, Moskowitz L, Fischl M, Kelley RE (1984) The neurologic complications of AIDS: frequently the initial manifestation. Neurology 34 (Suppl 1):134–135

    Google Scholar 

  5. Levy RM, Bredesen DE, Rosenblum ML (1985) Neurological manifestations of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS): experience at UCSF and review of the literature. J Neurosurg 62:475–495

    Google Scholar 

  6. Post MJD, Kursunoglu SJ, Hensley GT, Chan JC, Moskowitz LB, Hoffman TA (1985) Cranial CT in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AJNR 6:743–754

    Google Scholar 

  7. Sze G, Brant-Zawadzki MB, Norman D, Newton TH (1987) The neuroradiology of AIDS. Semin Roentgenol 22:42–53

    Google Scholar 

  8. Post MJD, Sheldon JJ, Hensley GT, Soila K, Tobias JA, Chan JC, Quencer RM, Moskowitz LB (1986) Central nervous system disease in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: prospective correlation using CT, MR imaging and pathologic studies. Radiology 158:141–148

    Google Scholar 

  9. Olsen WL, Lempert TE, Longo FM (1988) MR-pathologic correlation in CNS-AIDS. AJNR 9:1037

    Google Scholar 

  10. Pitchenik AE, Cole C, Russell BW, Fischl MA, Spira TJ, Snider DE (1984) Tuberculosis, atypical mycobacterosis, and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among Haitian and non-Haitian patients in South Florida. Ann Inter Med 101:641–645

    Google Scholar 

  11. Fischl MA, Pitchenik AE, Spira TJ (1985) Tuberculous brain abscess and toxoplasma encephalitis in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. JAMA 253:3428–3430

    Google Scholar 

  12. Sunderam G, McDonald RJ, Maniatis T, Oleske J, Kapila R, Reichman LB (1986) Tuberculosis as a manifestation of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). JAMA 256:362–366

    Google Scholar 

  13. Bishburg E, Sunderam G, Reichman LB, Kapila R (1986) Central nervous system tuberculosis with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and its related complex. Ann Intern Med 105:210–213

    Google Scholar 

  14. Ogawa SK, Smith MA, Brennessel DJ, Lowy FD (1987) Tuberculous meningitis in a urban medical center. Medicine 66:317–326

    Google Scholar 

  15. Rovira M, Romero F, Torrent O, Ibarra B (1978) Study of tuberculous meningitis by CT. Neuroradiology 19:137–141

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bhargava S, Gupta AK, Tandon PN (1982) Tuberculous meningitis. A CT study. Br J Radiol 55:189–196

    Google Scholar 

  17. Bullock MRR, Welchman JM (1982) Diagnostic and prognostic features of tuberculous meningitis on CT scanner. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 45:1098–1101

    Google Scholar 

  18. Naheedy MH, Azar-Kia B, Fine M (1983) Radiologic evaluation of tuberculous meningitis. Invest Radiol 18:224–229

    Google Scholar 

  19. Traub M, Colchester ACF, Kingsley DPE, Swash M (1984) Tuberculosis of the central nervous system. Q J Med 209:81–100

    Google Scholar 

  20. Bonafé A, Manelfe C, Gomez MC, Tager M, Massip P, Auvergnat Carriére JP (1985) Tuberculous meningitis. J Neuroradiology 12:303–316

    Google Scholar 

  21. Salgado P, Del Brutto OH, Talamàs O, Zenteno MA, Rodríguez-Carbajal J (1989) Intracranial tuberculoma: MR imaging. Neuroradiology 31:299–302

    Google Scholar 

  22. Chang KH, Han MH, Roh JK, Kim IO, Han MC, Choi MC, Kim CW (1990) Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging in intracranial tuberculosis. Neuroradiology 32:19–25

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Villoria, M.F., de la Torre, J., Fortea, F. et al. Intracranial tuberculosis in AIDS: CT and MRI findings. Neuroradiology 34, 11–14 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588425

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00588425

Key words

Navigation