Demonstration of lesions of cerebral toxoplasmosis by computerized tomography

A patient who was treated for 11 years with cytotoxic drugs for Hodgkin's disease developed cerebral toxoplasmosis. Discrete lesions including an occipital abscess were visualized in the brain by computerized tomography (CT). This permitted a brain biopsy to be taken but the appearances were non-specific. At post-mortem pseudocysts of Toxoplasma gondii were found in several sites within the CNS. The recognition of these CT appearances as being due to toxoplasmosis should in future prompt serological investigation and urgent treatment of this potentially curable condition, despite negative biopsy material.