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Neuroimaging in Central Nervous System Infections
Nathaniel C Swinburne1, Anmol G Bansal1, Amit Aggarwal1
1Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports
|May 4, 2017
Summary
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers superior sensitivity for detecting early central nervous system (CNS) infections compared to computed tomography (CT). MRI is generally preferred for characterizing diverse CNS infections due to its advanced imaging capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
Background:
- Radiologic imaging aids in diagnosing central nervous system (CNS) infections.
- Computed tomography (CT) excels in assessing bone integrity and erosive changes.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers greater sensitivity for early parenchymal, cord, and marrow changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of MRI and CT in diagnosing CNS infections.
- To review the imaging features of common and uncommon CNS infectious processes.
- To establish MRI as the preferred modality for CNS infection characterization.
Main Methods:
- Review of typical and atypical imaging findings in CNS infections.
- Comparative analysis of CT and MRI sensitivity for early infection detection.
- Focus on bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic CNS infections.
Main Results:
- MRI demonstrates significantly higher sensitivity than CT for early CNS infection detection.
- MRI is superior for characterizing the full spectrum of CNS infections.
- CT is valuable for osseous assessment but limited in detecting early parenchymal changes.
Conclusions:
- MRI is the preferred imaging modality for suspected CNS infections.
- Understanding characteristic imaging features is crucial for accurate diagnosis.
- Radiologic imaging plays a vital role in supplementing clinical evaluation of CNS infections.
