RadioGraphics 2010; 30:253-267
Cinthia D. Ortega, MD , NilsonY. Ogawa, MD , Manoel S. Rocha, MD Roberto Blasbalg, MD, Angela H. Motoyama Caiado, MD , Gisele Warmbrand, MD , Giovanni Guido Cerri, MD, PhD
Helminthic diseases have a worldwide distribution. They affect billions of people in endemic areas and can result in serious clinical compli¬cations. Some parasites have a human gastrointestinal life cycle with resultant abdominal manifestations. However, the symptoms of hel¬minthic diseases are usually nonspecific. Radiologic imaging, along with the identification of risk factors, may help narrow the differential diag¬nosis. To avoid diagnostic delays, radiologists should be familiar with the geographic distribution, transmission cycle, and characteristic and atypical manifestations of common helminthic diseases at abdominal imaging with radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography. Awareness of the clinical, epidemiolog¬ic, and pathogenic characteristics of these diseases also may be helpful for narrowing the diagnosis when imaging features are nonspecific