Contralateral migration of cerebral sparganosis through the splenium

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Parasitology
• Radiology

Background:

• Cerebral sparganosis is a rare parasitic infection of the brain.
• Migration of sparganosis to the contralateral hemisphere is known.
• The exact route of cerebral sparganosis migration remains unclear.

Observation:

• A 24-year-old man presented with headache and a history of right temporo-occipital sparganosis.
• MRI revealed a left temporo-occipital mass and findings consistent with old right-sided sparganosis.
• FLAIR imaging showed high signal intensity in the splenium, connecting both hemispheric lesions.

Findings:

• The study documents the migration of cerebral sparganosis from the right to the left temporo-occipital lobe.
• The splenium of the corpus callosum served as the migration pathway.
• Surgical removal of the left-sided mass revealed a sparganum larva.

Implications:

• This case provides the first description of the splenium as a route for cerebral sparganosis contralateral migration.
• Understanding this pathway can improve diagnosis and treatment strategies for cerebral sparganosis.
• Further research into parasitic migration mechanisms in the central nervous system is warranted.