MRI and CT Findings of Intracranial Neurosyphilis.
10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.2.205
- Author:
Hong Kil SUH
1
;
Ya Seong SHIM
;
Seon Bok KIM
;
Uk Jung KIM
;
Shin Ho LEE
;
Hae Kyuong JUNG
;
Eil Seong LEE
;
Ik Won KANG
;
Hyeun Cha CHO
Author Information
1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Brain, infection;
Brain, MR;
Brain, CT;
Syphilis
- MeSH:
Arteries;
Basal Ganglia;
Cerebellum;
Follow-Up Studies;
Frontal Lobe;
Humans;
Infarction;
Inflammation;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*;
Neurosyphilis*;
Occipital Lobe;
Posterior Cerebral Artery;
Syphilis;
Temporal Lobe
- From:Journal of the Korean Radiological Society
1999;40(2):205-209
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To evaluate the CT and MRI findings of neurosyphilis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectivelyreviewed the CT and MR imaging findings in five patients with intracranial neurosyphilis confirmed by CSF, VDRL,TPHA, and clinical follow-up. MR imaging was performed in all five cases, and CT in two. RESULTS: The MRI and CTfindings of intracranial neurosyphilis included infarction (n=3), focal inflammation (n=1) and encephalopathy(n=1). There was a total of ten infaretions : three of the basal ganglia, two each of the frontal lobe, watershedzone, and cerebellum, and one of the occipital lobe. Intaretion was most common in MCA territory (n=9; 50%),followed by the watershed zone (16.6%), posterior cerebral artery territory (16.6%), and posterior inferiorcerebellar artery territory (11.1%), The size of the lesion varied from 1cm to larger than one lobe. One patientshowed diffuse high signal intensity in the left temporal lobe, but on follow-up MRI, this had resolved. CONCLUSION: The most common finding of neurosyphilis, as seen on MRI and CT, was infarction in middle cerebralarterial territory.