Diffusion-weighted imaging in the early diagnosis of intraventricular rupture of a brain abscess

Brain abscess is a potentially fatal injury that must be treated promptly to avoid complications that require neurosurgery such as intraventricular rupture. Patients with brain abscess may exhibit a multiple variety of nonspecific symptoms, simulating the presence of neurological diseases such as ischemic stroke or intracranial tumor masses. Early radiological diagnosis with adequate subsequent treatment improves the patient's chances of recovery. We report the case of a 48-year-old male patient with brain abscess complicated by an initial rupture into the ventricle. Magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion-weighted images, and apparent diffusion coefficient maps made it possible to diagnose an intraventricular rupture of the abscess with consequent appropriate neurosurgical treatment.