Asymptomatic and neurologically symptomatic HIV-seropositive subjects: results of long-term MR imaging and clinical follow-up.

Cranial magnetic resonance (MR) images were prospectively obtained in 74 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive subjects, all of whom had undergone MR imaging 24-42 months earlier. The images were interpreted by neuroradiologists blinded to the subject's clinical status and were compared with the initial MR images and clinical findings. Ten subjects had mild neurologic symptoms, with mildly abnormal unchanged images in five (50%). Sixty-four subjects were neurologically asymptomatic, with mildly abnormal images in 13 (20%), most of which remained unchanged. chi 2 analysis revealed a significant difference (P = .042) between the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups with regard to the number of subjects with abnormal follow-up images. The number of abnormal images in the asymptomatic subjects was significantly less than that in the symptomatic subjects. During follow-up of 2-3 1/2 years, most asymptomatic subjects had persistently normal MR images. When abnormal, the imaging abnormalities were usually static and minor.