Neuroimaging in tuberculous meningitis

Tuberculous meningitis is a serious infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Early diagnosis is the key to success of treatment. Neuroimaging plays a crucial role in the early and accurate diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis and its disabling complications. Magnetic resonance imaging is considered superior to computed tomography. Neuroimaging characteristics include leptomeningeal and basal cisternal enhancement, hydrocephalus, periventricular infarcts, and tuberculoma. Partially treated pyogenic meningitis, cryptococcal meningitis, viral encephalitis, carcinomatous, and lymphomatous meningitis may have many similar neuroimaging characteristics, and differentiation from tuberculous meningitis at times on the basis of neuroimaging characteristics becomes difficult.