Chapter 6 - Central Nervous System Infection Flashcards
TORCH infections
- Toxoplasmosis
- Other infections (syphilis, varicella zoster, lymphocytic choriomeningitis)
- Rubella
- Cytomegalovirus
- Herpes simplex
Most common congenital CNS infection
Cytomegalovirus
Symptoms of cytomegalovirus in neonates (5)
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Jaundice
- Cerebral involvement (psychomotor retardation)
- Chorioretinitis
- Deafness
Important image finding of CMV
Periventricular calcification
These congenital infection results from hematogeneous stpread after a pregnant woman eats undercooked meat or is exposed to cat feces, both which can harbor viable oocytes.
Toxoplasmosis
Imaging finding of toxoplasmosis
- Atrophy
- Dilated ventricles
- Dystrophic calcification
The calcifications are scattered in the white matter, basal ganglia, and cortex. - as opposed to congenital CMV infection (perivetricular)
This is a rodent-borne arena virus which can closely mimic toxoplasmosis and CMV on neonatal imaging.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)
It results from infection during descent through the birth canal when the mother has a genital infection with herpes virus (Type 2)
Herpes simplex encephalitis
Imaging finding of HSV
- US may show areas of increased parenchymal echogenicity
- CT = diffuse brain swelling or bilateral patchy areas of hypodensity in the white matter, cortex
- Sparing of the basal ganglia, thalami, and posterior fossa structures
- Hyposdense lesion = T2 hyperintensity
- Hemorrhage, calcification,
- Meningeal and patchy parenchymal enhancement
HIV encephalitis primarily affects what part of the brain?
- White matter
- Basal ganglia
Resulting in diffuse cerebral volume loss
Image findings of HIV encephalitis
- Symmetric calcifications in the basal ganglia, especially the globi pallidi = best seen in CT
- T2 hyperintense white matter
- Subtle enhancement of the basal ganglia
- MRA = associated vasculopathy with fusiform dilation and ectasia of the intracranial arteries
This was once a devastating fetal viral infection but is now very uncommon because of widespread immunization of females before childbearing age.
Rubella
Image findings of rubella
- CT = dystrophic calcifications in the deep gray nuclei and cortex
- MRI = demonstrates infarcts, white matter volume less, and delayed myelination
A flavivirus which originated in Africa and Southeast Asia and is transmitted by several species of mosquitoes, especially Aedes aegypti.
Zika virus (ZIKV)
Image finding of Zika virus
- CT - best demonstrates both punctate or linear calcifications which localize predominantly to the gray-white junction in the frontal and parietal lobes and, to a lesser extent, along the deep gray nuclei and periventricular zone
- MRI - volume loss, ventriculomegaly, abnormal myelination, callosal dysgenesis, heterotopia, lissencephaly, and polymicrogyria.
These extra-axial lesion result from paranasal sinusitis, otomastoiditis, orbital infections, penetrating injuries, surgery, or superinfection or pre-existing extra-axial collections.
Epidural and subdural abscesses or empyemas
What is more sensitive for evaluating epidural and subdural empyema, CT or MR?
MRI is more sensitive because the multiplanar capability of MRI alleviates the problem of patial volume averaging with the calvarium on CT.
Why is subdural empyema more acutely life threatening than epidural?
Because the can spread more easily through the subdural space.
What are complications of subdural/epidural empyema?
- Subjacent cerebritis
2. Cortical venous thrombosis and venous infarcts
It is a frontal sinusitis (in children) complicated by osteomyelitis, with subperiosteal, epidural, or subdural abscesses.
Pott puffy tumor
How to distinguished subdural empyema from subdural effusion?
Subdural emypema is hyperintense on DWI
How to distinguished subdural hygroma from subdural empyema?
Subdural hygroma are similar to CSF density and signal intensity and do not enhance.
Mild, smooth dural or meningeal enhancement may be seen after craniotomies and in patients with ventriculostomy catheters, especially with MRI. This enhancement can persist for how long?
Can persist for years and should be considered benign in this clinical setting.
Intracranial hypotension from a spontaneous or iatrogenic CSF leak (including recent lumbar puncture) can also result in smooth symmetric dural enhancement, both intracranially and along the spinal canal.
Common etiology of bacterial meningitis in children?
Haemophilus influenzae
Common etiology of bacterial meningitis in teens and young adults?
Neisseria meningitidis
Common etiology of bacterial meningitis in older adults?
Steptococcus pneumoniae
Common etiology of bacterial meningitis in neonates?
Group B steptococcus and
Escherichia coli
Common etiology of bacterial meningitis in premature newborns?
Citrobacter
Other differential diagnostic considerations of meningitis (4)
- Ruptured aneurysm with subarachnoid hemorrhage
- Leptomeningeal metastases
- Neurosarcoidosis
- Lymphoma
Why is neuroimaging more important in the later course of meningitis?
To identify complications such as:
Hydrocephalus Cerebritis or abscess Arterial or venous infarction Subdural effusio or empyema Herniation
What is type of hydrocephalus is more common in mengitis, communicating or noncommunicating?
Communicating hydrocephalus
- It reflects impaired CSF resorption by arachnoid granulations
This is the most common form of CNS tuberculosis.
Tuberculous meningitis
Imaging pattern of tuberculous meningitis
Thickened and enhancing meninges especially along the basal cistern, corresponding to a thick gelatinous inflammatory excudate
Differential diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis
- Fungal meningitis
- Racemose cysticercosis
- Neurosarcoidosis
- Carcinomatous menigitis
This occurs when the larvae of the pork tapeworm Taenia solium infest the subarachnoid space, especially the basal cisterns .
Meningobasal or racemose cystercosis
Imaging finding of meningobasal/ racemose cysticercosis
Cystic lesions - isodense on CT and isointense on MRI to CSF
No mural nodules or calcification
Imaging finding of intraventricular cysticercosis
- Subtle signal changes
- Lack of CSF pulsations within the cyst make them more visible on MRI than CT
- Enhancement may or may not be present
- A mural scolex can often be seen within these cysts.
- Can cause hydrocephalus
Most common cause of viral meningitis
Enteroviruses
But can also be caused by mumps, Epstein-Barr virus, togavirsus, lymphocytic choriomengitis, and HIV.
This is a noninfectious granulomatous disease of unclear etiology which involves the CNS in up to 14$ of patients at autopsy.
Sarcoidosis
Aside from biopsy what are other helpful methods use for diagnosis?
- Increased serum and CSF levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
- Pulmonary involvement
Imaging finding of CNS sarcoidosis
- Abnormal leptomeningeal and dural enhancement
- Thickening and enhancement of the cranial nerves and the hypothalamic-pituitary axis
- Focal enhancing intra-axial masses or nonenhancing small white matter lesions
- Calcifications are NOT typical
Differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis
- Granulomatous CNS infections
- Metastatic disease
- Wegener granulomatosis
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis
With infectious resulting from hematogenous spread, why are the frontal and parietal lobes most commonly involved?
Because of middle cerebral artery distribution.
The abscess are centered in the gray-white junction.
What lobe is commonly affected with spread of sinus infection?
Frontal lobes
What lobes are involved with spread from otomastoiditis
Temporal lobes and cerebellum
Stage of parenchymal infection that occurs first few days.
The infected portion of the brain is swollen and edematous.
Areas of early necrosis are filled with inflammatory polymorphonuclear leukocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells.
Organism are present in both the center and periphery of the lesion which has ill-defined margin
Early cerebritis
Imaging pattern of early cerebritis
CT: normal or show an area of low density
MR:
-hypointense/ isointense on T1
-hyperintense on T2W amd FLAIR
Mild mass effect and patchy areas of enhancement within the lesion on both CR and MRI.
Stage of parenchymal infection which occurs within 1 or 2 weeks.
Central necrosis progresses and begins to coalesce, with few organisms detected pathologically.
There is vascular proliferation at the periphery of the lesion, with more inflammatory cells and early granulation tissue, which represent the brain’s effort to contain infection.
Late cerebritis
Imaging pattern of late cerebritis
CT: increased hypodensity MR: -hypointense on T1 -hyperintense on T2W and FLAIR -Increased signal intensity within the center on DWI
Irregular contrast enhancement on the edges of the lesion
Delay scan - late central enhancement
Worsening of vasogenic edema
Stage of parenchymal infection which occurs within 2 weeks.
The infection is walled off as a capsule of callagen and reticulin forms along the inflammatory vascular margin of the infection.
Macrophages, phagocytes, and neutrophils are also present in the capsule.
The necrotic center contains very few organism.
Early capsule
Imaging pattern of early capsule
Contrast CT and MR shows well-defined, usually smooth and thin, rim of enhancement.
The rim tends to be T2 hypointense.
Central: Hypodense on CT T1 hypointense T2 hyperintense DWI hyperintense
Stage of parenchymal infection where the rim of enhancement becomes even better defined and thicker, reflecting more complete collagen in the abscess wall.
Multiloculation is common.
Late capsule