Susceptibility-weighted imaging is helpful in diagnosis of cerebral gnathostomiasis

To describe the role of SWI compared with other MR imaging sequences and CT in diagnosis of cerebral gnathostomiasis.

CTs and MRIs of patients with cerebral gnathostomiasis were retrospectively reviewed. The types of intracranial hemorrhage, including intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH), subdural hemorrhage (SDH), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and their locations were recorded.

Four patients proven as cerebral gnathostomiasis were included. Intracranial hemorrhage was detected in all patients. There was IPH in all patients, SAH in 2 patients, and SDH in 2 patients. All patients (4/4) revealed hemorrhagic tracts which were very conspicuously seen on SWI. Other imaging sequences could also reveal hemorrhagic tracts in 3 patients (3/4) but are less conspicuously seen than SWI. None of the CT brains could detect hemorrhagic tracts.

Intracranial hemorrhage associated with hemorrhagic tract, best demonstrated by SWI, is the key imaging characteristic in diagnosis of cerebral gnathostomiasis.