Objectives:

This study aims to evaluate the role of pulmonary and sinus imaging in common variable immunodeficiency (CVID).

Patients and methods:

Between April 2001 and March 2011, 48 patients (30 males, 18 females; mean age 19 years; range 9 months to 58 years) who underwent pulmonary or sinus computed tomography (CT) and chest X-ray due to CVID in Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Tehran were retrospectively analyzed. Age and sex of the patients and procedure-related complications were recorded.

Results:

The most common complications were bronchiectasis (52.6%) with the highest incidence in right lower lobe (39.5%), hilar adenopathy (39.5%) and mediastinal adenopathy (39.5%) in 38 patients who underwent CT scan. The main finding was parenchymal infiltration in 29 patients who underwent chest X-ray, indicating a higher trend in females than males (50% vs. 35%). A total of 30 patients were assessed by sinus CT and/or chest X-ray. These imaging modalities revealed sinusitis in 76.7% patients with a higher involvement of maxillary sinus.

Conclusion:

Pulmonary and sinus complications are common manifestations of CVID which can be easily assessed by imaging modalities, such as CT, particularly. We recommend evaluating CVID patients for sinusitis in addition to pulmonary examination.

Keywords: