Uncommon locations of hydatid disease: CT appearances

Hydatid disease (HD), already known by Hippocrates, is prevalent and widespread in most sheep-raising countries in Asia, Australia, South America, Near East, and southern Europe. The disease is most commonly due to Echinococcus granulosus and may occur in any organ or tissue. The location is mostly hepatic (75 %) and pulmonary (15 %), and only 10 % occur in the rest of the body [1]. Imaging modalities such as US, CT, and MR imaging are helpful in diagnosing the disease. The reliability of each method depends on the cyst's location in the body [2–5]. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the use of CT in depicting some unusual locations of HD besides the liver and lung. Received 4 April 1996; Revision received 26 August 1996; Accepted 8 November 1996