Thymic tissue is not evident on high-resolution computed tomography and [18F]Fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography scans of aviraemic HIV patients with poor recovery of CD4 + T cells

Some previously immunodeficient HIV patients responding to antiretroviral therapy display poor recovery of CD4 + T cells. Evaluation of the contribution of thymic function requires sensitive detection and quantitation of metabolically active thymic tissue. We describe patient...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tanaskovic, S., Fernandez, S., French, M., Price, R., Song, S., Robins, P., Price, Patricia
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2011
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/42628
Description
Summary:Some previously immunodeficient HIV patients responding to antiretroviral therapy display poor recovery of CD4 + T cells. Evaluation of the contribution of thymic function requires sensitive detection and quantitation of metabolically active thymic tissue. We describe patients with low but detectable thymopoiesis assessed as circulating CD4 + naive T cells expressing CD31. High-resolution computed tomography and PET scans found no residual thymic tissue even though metabolic activity was demonstrable by PET in lymph nodes.