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MRI Findings of La Crosse Virus Encephalitis in the Pediatric Population

Farimah Shariati1, Shankar Ganapathy2, Miraides Brown3

  • 1Department of Hospital Medicine, Akron Children's Hospital, Akron, OH, United States.

Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
|March 14, 2025
PubMed

Insights

La Crosse Virus Encephalitis (LCVE) can cause brain inflammation. MRI scans reveal leptomeningeal enhancement, thalamus and basal ganglia involvement, and temporal lobe abnormalities in patients with LCVE.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Radiology

Background:

  • La Crosse Virus Encephalitis (LCVE) is a significant cause of pediatric arboviral encephalitis in the United States.
  • Neuroimaging plays a crucial role in diagnosing and understanding the extent of brain involvement in encephalitis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients diagnosed with proven or probable La Crosse Virus Encephalitis.
  • To identify characteristic MRI patterns associated with LCVE.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study design.
  • Analysis of initial MRI scans from 56 patients hospitalized with confirmed or probable LCVE.
  • Detailed review of imaging findings including leptomeningeal enhancement, thalamic and basal ganglia involvement, and temporal lobe signal abnormalities.

Main Results:

  • Common MRI findings included leptomeningeal enhancement, thalamic involvement, and basal ganglia abnormalities.
  • Distinctive findings such as multiple punctate foci were observed.
  • Frequent signal abnormality in the temporal lobe was noted, which could mimic Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) encephalitis.

Conclusions:

  • MRI is valuable in diagnosing La Crosse Virus Encephalitis.
  • Specific MRI patterns, including thalamic, basal ganglia, and temporal lobe involvement, can aid in identifying LCVE.
  • The temporal lobe findings may be mistaken for other forms of encephalitis, highlighting the need for careful interpretation in endemic areas.
Keywords:
La Crosse VirusMRI findingspediatric meningoencephalitispunctate focitemporal lobe

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