Kevin R. Moore, MD; Miral D. Jhaveri, MD, MBA; Karen L. Salzman, MD
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KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Clinical Issues
Diagnostic Checklist
TERMINOLOGY
Definitions
Localized infection of brain parenchyma, typically bacterial; fungal or parasitic less common
4 pathologic stages: Early cerebritis, late cerebritis, early capsule, and late capsule
IMAGING
General Features
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Barbosa BC et al: Demyelinating lesions behaving like aggressive tumours on advanced MRI techniques. Neuroradiol J. 32(2):103-7, 2019
Longo M et al: Predictors of reoperation and noninfectious complications following craniotomy for cerebral abscess. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 179:55-9, 2019
Quintas S et al: Neuroradiological worsening of brain abscess after adalimumab and methotrexate withdrawal: Do not forget Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome. J Clin Neurosci. ePub, 2019
Hazan G et al: Group A streptococcal brain abscess in children: two case reports and a review of the literature. Infect Dis (Lond). 50(2):145-9, 2018
Simjian T et al: Dexamethasone Administration and Mortality in Patients with Brain Abscess: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. World Neurosurg. 115:257-263, 2018
Brouwer MC et al: Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of brain abscesses. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 30(1):129-34, 2017
Zhou W et al: A clinical report of two cases of cryptogenic brain abscess and a relevant literature review. Front Neurosci. 12:1054, 2018
Sonneville R et al: An update on bacterial brain abscess in immunocompetent patients. Clin Microbiol Infect. ePub, 2017
Brouwer MC et al: Brain abscess. N Engl J Med. 371(5):447-56, 2014
Chaudhary V et al: MR spectroscopy in the diagnosis of bacterial etiology in brain abscesses. Magn Reson Imaging. ePub, 2014
Toh CH et al: Differentiation of pyogenic brain abscesses from necrotic glioblastomas with use of susceptibility-weighted imaging. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. Epub ahead of print, 2012
Rath TJ et al: Imaging of cerebritis, encephalitis, and brain abscess. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 22(4):585-607, 2012
Ryu SW et al: Multiple ring-enhancing lesions in the brain. J Clin Neurosci. 19(5):743, 775, 2012
Lai PH et al: Susceptibility-weighted imaging in patients with pyogenic brain abscesses at 1.5T: characteristics of the abscess capsule. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 33(5):910-4, 2012
Nath K et al: Role of diffusion tensor imaging metrics and in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the differential diagnosis of cystic intracranial mass lesions. Magn Reson Imaging. 27(2):198-206, 2009
Sharma R et al: Intracranial abscesses: changes in epidemiology and management over five decades in Merseyside. Infection. 37(1):39-43, 2009
Cavuşoglu H et al: Brain abscess: analysis of results in a series of 51 patients with a combined surgical and medical approach during an 11-year period. Neurosurg Focus. 24(6):E9, 2008
Engh JA et al: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging demonstrating intraventricular rupture of a cerebral abscess and subsequent therapeutic response. Surg Neurol. 70(5):526-30, 2008
Gelabert-González M et al: Management of brain abscess in children. J Paediatr Child Health. 44(12):731-5, 2008
Kastrup O et al: Neuroimaging of infections of the central nervous system. Semin Neurol. 28(4):511-22, 2008
Menon S et al: Current epidemiology of intracranial abscesses: a prospective 5 year study. J Med Microbiol. 57(Pt 10):1259-68, 2008
Moorthy RK et al: Management of brain abscess: an overview. Neurosurg Focus. 24(6):E3, 2008
Song L et al: Clinical features and outcome analysis of 90 cases with brain abscess in central China. Neurol Sci. 29(6):425-30, 2008
Ziai WC et al: Update in the diagnosis and management of central nervous system infections. Neurol Clin. 26(2):427-68, viii, 2008
Fertikh D et al: Discrimination of capsular stage brain abscesses from necrotic or cystic neoplasms using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. J Neurosurg. 106(1):76-81, 2007
Lai PH et al: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion-weighted imaging in intracranial cystic mass lesions. Surg Neurol. 68 Suppl 1:S25-36, 2007
McClelland S 3rd et al: Postoperative central nervous system infection: incidence and associated factors in 2111 neurosurgical procedures. Clin Infect Dis. 45(1):55-9, 2007
Morais LT et al: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the diagnosis and etiological definition of brain bacterial abscesses. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 65(4B):1144-8, 2007
Mueller-Mang C et al: Fungal versus bacterial brain abscesses: is diffusion-weighted MR imaging a useful tool in the differential diagnosis? Neuroradiology. 49(8):651-7, 2007
Smirniotopoulos JG et al: Patterns of contrast enhancement in the brain and meninges. Radiographics. 27(2):525-51, 2007
Plotnik AN et al: Multiple cystic ring-enhancing cerebral lesions. J Clin Neurosci. 13(9):933, 976, 2006
Reddy JS et al: The role of diffusion-weighted imaging in the differential diagnosis of intracranial cystic mass lesions: a report of 147 lesions. Surg Neurol. 66(3):246-50; discussion 250-1, 2006
Bükte Y et al: Role of diffusion-weighted MR in differential diagnosis of intracranial cystic lesions. Clin Radiol. 60(3):375-83, 2005
Erdogan C et al: Brain abscess and cystic brain tumor: discrimination with dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion-weighted MRI. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 29(5):663-7, 2005
Related Anatomy
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Related Differential Diagnoses
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Clinical Issues
Diagnostic Checklist
TERMINOLOGY
Definitions
Localized infection of brain parenchyma, typically bacterial; fungal or parasitic less common
4 pathologic stages: Early cerebritis, late cerebritis, early capsule, and late capsule
IMAGING
General Features
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Barbosa BC et al: Demyelinating lesions behaving like aggressive tumours on advanced MRI techniques. Neuroradiol J. 32(2):103-7, 2019
Longo M et al: Predictors of reoperation and noninfectious complications following craniotomy for cerebral abscess. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 179:55-9, 2019
Quintas S et al: Neuroradiological worsening of brain abscess after adalimumab and methotrexate withdrawal: Do not forget Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome. J Clin Neurosci. ePub, 2019
Hazan G et al: Group A streptococcal brain abscess in children: two case reports and a review of the literature. Infect Dis (Lond). 50(2):145-9, 2018
Simjian T et al: Dexamethasone Administration and Mortality in Patients with Brain Abscess: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. World Neurosurg. 115:257-263, 2018
Brouwer MC et al: Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of brain abscesses. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 30(1):129-34, 2017
Zhou W et al: A clinical report of two cases of cryptogenic brain abscess and a relevant literature review. Front Neurosci. 12:1054, 2018
Sonneville R et al: An update on bacterial brain abscess in immunocompetent patients. Clin Microbiol Infect. ePub, 2017
Brouwer MC et al: Brain abscess. N Engl J Med. 371(5):447-56, 2014
Chaudhary V et al: MR spectroscopy in the diagnosis of bacterial etiology in brain abscesses. Magn Reson Imaging. ePub, 2014
Toh CH et al: Differentiation of pyogenic brain abscesses from necrotic glioblastomas with use of susceptibility-weighted imaging. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. Epub ahead of print, 2012
Rath TJ et al: Imaging of cerebritis, encephalitis, and brain abscess. Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 22(4):585-607, 2012
Ryu SW et al: Multiple ring-enhancing lesions in the brain. J Clin Neurosci. 19(5):743, 775, 2012
Lai PH et al: Susceptibility-weighted imaging in patients with pyogenic brain abscesses at 1.5T: characteristics of the abscess capsule. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 33(5):910-4, 2012
Nath K et al: Role of diffusion tensor imaging metrics and in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the differential diagnosis of cystic intracranial mass lesions. Magn Reson Imaging. 27(2):198-206, 2009
Sharma R et al: Intracranial abscesses: changes in epidemiology and management over five decades in Merseyside. Infection. 37(1):39-43, 2009
Cavuşoglu H et al: Brain abscess: analysis of results in a series of 51 patients with a combined surgical and medical approach during an 11-year period. Neurosurg Focus. 24(6):E9, 2008
Engh JA et al: Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging demonstrating intraventricular rupture of a cerebral abscess and subsequent therapeutic response. Surg Neurol. 70(5):526-30, 2008
Gelabert-González M et al: Management of brain abscess in children. J Paediatr Child Health. 44(12):731-5, 2008
Kastrup O et al: Neuroimaging of infections of the central nervous system. Semin Neurol. 28(4):511-22, 2008
Menon S et al: Current epidemiology of intracranial abscesses: a prospective 5 year study. J Med Microbiol. 57(Pt 10):1259-68, 2008
Moorthy RK et al: Management of brain abscess: an overview. Neurosurg Focus. 24(6):E3, 2008
Song L et al: Clinical features and outcome analysis of 90 cases with brain abscess in central China. Neurol Sci. 29(6):425-30, 2008
Ziai WC et al: Update in the diagnosis and management of central nervous system infections. Neurol Clin. 26(2):427-68, viii, 2008
Fertikh D et al: Discrimination of capsular stage brain abscesses from necrotic or cystic neoplasms using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. J Neurosurg. 106(1):76-81, 2007
Lai PH et al: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion-weighted imaging in intracranial cystic mass lesions. Surg Neurol. 68 Suppl 1:S25-36, 2007
McClelland S 3rd et al: Postoperative central nervous system infection: incidence and associated factors in 2111 neurosurgical procedures. Clin Infect Dis. 45(1):55-9, 2007
Morais LT et al: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the diagnosis and etiological definition of brain bacterial abscesses. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 65(4B):1144-8, 2007
Mueller-Mang C et al: Fungal versus bacterial brain abscesses: is diffusion-weighted MR imaging a useful tool in the differential diagnosis? Neuroradiology. 49(8):651-7, 2007
Smirniotopoulos JG et al: Patterns of contrast enhancement in the brain and meninges. Radiographics. 27(2):525-51, 2007
Plotnik AN et al: Multiple cystic ring-enhancing cerebral lesions. J Clin Neurosci. 13(9):933, 976, 2006
Reddy JS et al: The role of diffusion-weighted imaging in the differential diagnosis of intracranial cystic mass lesions: a report of 147 lesions. Surg Neurol. 66(3):246-50; discussion 250-1, 2006
Bükte Y et al: Role of diffusion-weighted MR in differential diagnosis of intracranial cystic lesions. Clin Radiol. 60(3):375-83, 2005
Erdogan C et al: Brain abscess and cystic brain tumor: discrimination with dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion-weighted MRI. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 29(5):663-7, 2005
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