[Neuropathological and neuroradiological aspects of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)]

Among non-neoplastic lesions of the central nervous system, demyelinating pseudotumors of the group of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) most frequently occasion neurosurgical intervention for purposes of definitive diagnosis and thus enter the domain of the surgical pathologist. Typically, ADEM presents with multifocal, bilateral lesions in an asymmetrical distribution. Especially monolocular manifestations may be diagnostically challenging. Due to the acuteness of clinical symptoms and the expansive, space-occupying character of the lesions a diffuse glioma, a metastatic disease, a primary cerebral Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, brain abscess, a parasitosis or an ischemic brain tissue necrosis may be suspected. This impression is supported by uptake of contrast-medium most pronounced at the periphery of the lesion and the subcortical location. The histomorphologic feature of relative axonal preservation in areas with acute myelin breakdown and lymphocytic infiltrates make the diagnosis of an acute primary demyelinating disease probable. A diagnosis of glioma may be prompted by the florid, cytologically atypical astrogliosis especially in intraoperative request. Based on a series of 14 cases of radiologically and bioptically documented cases of ADEM typical examples will be demonstrated and discussed.