Radiological Management of Infections in Immunocompromised Patients

Immunocompromised status is defined as a condition of impaired or dysfunctional immune system, which is unable to protect the body from external pathogens. The causes of immunocompromised status can be congenital or acquired, with the most notable example worldwide being the human immunodeficiency virus. An immunocompromised patient has an increased susceptibility to infections, which can be caused by pathogens such as fungi, parasites, bacteria, or viruses.The use of appropriate radiological methods in diagnostic purpose plays an important role in the early detection and treatment of various infections and other diseases characteristic for immunocompromised patients.Immunocompromised patients most commonly develop opportunistic infections of the neurological system. Since neurological changes in the early stages of development can be undetectable on CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging is primarily used for promt disease detection, as it is the most specific and sensitive method for these conditions. During MRI imaging, it is crucial to use multiple different pre-contrast and additional post-contrast sequences to reliably confirm highly specific neurological infections and differentiate them based on the type of etiological factor. Besides neurological complications, immunocompromised patients are also highly prone to developing respiratory infections. The method of choice for such complications is undoubtedly multislice CT, which can detect even the smallest changes within the respiratory system in the early stages of the disease. After the initial detection of the disease, radiographic imaging of the thoracic region represents an extremely powerful and accessible tool for further monitoring, with significant sensitivity that can guide the subsequent course of treatment.