title: Viral infections of the brain.
abstract: Brain infections are generally well visualized by contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. However, these modalities are often unrevealing in the encephalopathy produced by the human immunodeficiency virus and in the early stages of herpes simplex encephalitis. Several studies have documented the greater sensitivity of perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in human immunodeficiency virus encephalopathy. In herpes simplex encephalitis, a few case reports have documented that SPECT may depict increased perfusion in the characteristically involved temporal and other limbic structures when computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are normal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology New York Medical College, St. Vincent's Medical Center, NY 10011, USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Masdeu
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Van Heertum
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdel-Dayem
mesh_terms: D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000821:virology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed