Imaging spectrum of CNS vasculitis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Immunology
• Radiology

Background:

• Cerebral vasculitis is defined by inflammation of brain blood vessels.
• Its pathogenesis is not fully understood.
• It can affect vessels of all sizes and be primary or secondary to other conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the characteristics, classification, and diagnostic approaches to cerebral vasculitis.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on cerebral vasculitis.
• Classification of vasculitis by vessel size and etiology.
• Description of typical imaging findings in central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis.

Main Results:

• Vasculitis can affect large, medium, small, or variable-sized vessels, with specific examples provided for each category.
• Primary CNS vasculitis is idiopathic and can mimic other conditions.
• Imaging may reveal ischemic changes, infarction, hemorrhage, edema, and characteristic arterial wall changes like stenosis or occlusion.

Conclusions:

• Cerebral vasculitis presents diverse clinical and imaging features.
• Accurate diagnosis requires integrating imaging findings with clinical and laboratory data.