title: Spinal cord toxoplasma lesion in AIDS: MR findings.
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is the cause of the most common opportunistic infection of the brain in AIDS but is extremely rare as the cause of a solitary lesion of the spinal cord. Symptoms are weakness of the lower limbs followed closely by paralysis unless diagnosed and treated early. We present such a case in an intravenous drug abuser with AIDS and emphasize that MRI is the diagnostic tool of choice and that the index of suspicion should be high in immunosuppressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, New York Medical College-Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York 10029.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tchertkoff
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Pares
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Masangkay
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daras
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marc
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D003932:Heroin; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D003932:Heroin