title: Diagnosis and treatment of brainstem abscess using magnetic resonance imaging and microsurgical aspiration--case report.
abstract: A 6-year-old boy presented with a pontine abscess initially misdiagnosed as brainstem glioma, but he deteriorated rapidly and developed new symptoms of respiratory distress. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed a rapidly growing mass lesion in the pons. Microsurgical evacuation of the abscess via a suboccipital retromastoid approach resulted in neurological improvement and resolution of the lesion on MR images. Brainstem abscess can be successfully treated with early, accurate diagnosis based on MR imaging and appropriate microsurgical and antibiotic management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamura
mesh_terms: D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D011149:Pons; D013396:Suction