Lyme neuroborreliosis masquerading as a brainstem tumor in a 15-year-old

A 15-year-old boy had onset of unilateral facial weakness. A few days later, he experienced mild vertigo, double vision, and headache. Examination confirmed a peripheral right seventh nerve weakness in addition to an internuclear ophthalmoplegia. The neurologic features suggested a pontine glioma. A T2-weighted MRI scan revealed demyelinating lesions in the pons and in several areas of the cerebrum, including the periventricular region. Subsequent history revealed that he had been diagnosed with Lyme arthritis 7 years earlier while living in Connecticut. The radiographic studies favored a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. However, studies of blood and cerebrospinal fluid established a diagnosis of Lyme neuroborreliosis.