title: Computed tomography in childhood bacterial meningitis.
abstract: Computed tomography has been applied to childhood bacterial meningitis in an attempt to analyze the structural basis for neurologic complications. The CT findings in meningitis patients include acute cerebral swelling; moderate widening of basal cisterns, interhemispheric fissue, and subarachnoid convexity space; ventricular widening; subdural collection; focal cortical necrosis; cerebral infarcts; contrast enhancing basal meninges, ependymitis, and generalized cerebral atrophy. Bacterial meningitis in childhood is more than an inflammation of the subarachnoid space. It is a disease process which often exerts a profound effect on the brain parenchyma.
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed