Subacute spongiform encephalopathies

Neuroimaging in Central Nervous System Infections

Radiologic imaging is often employed to supplement clinical evaluation in cases of suspected central nervous system (CNS) infection. While computed tomography (CT) is superior for evaluating osseous integrity, demineralization, and erosive changes and may be more readily available at many institutions, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has significantly greater sensitivity for evaluating the cerebral parenchyma, cord, and marrow for early changes that have not yet reached the threshold for CT detection. For these reasons, MRI is generally superior to CT for characterizing bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections of the CNS. The typical imaging features of common and uncommon CNS infectious processes are reviewed.

Emergent neuroimaging of intracranial infection/inflammation

Infectious and inflammatory processes of the intracranial compartment often result in acute clinical presentations. The possible causes are legion. Clues to the diagnosis involve clinical presentation, laboratory analysis, and neuroimaging. This article reviews some of the salient factors in understanding intracranial infection/ inflammation, including pathophysiology and neuroimaging protocols/findings, and provides some examples and a few "pearls and pitfalls."