title: Diffusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient maps in a case of intracerebral abscess with ventricular extension.
abstract: Previous findings have demonstrated the diagnostic usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging in depicting specific features of a brain abscess. We report a case of a cerebral abscess, which ruptured into the ventricular system, including its findings on both diffusion-weighted images and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. Purulent material within the left lateral ventricle, similar to that of the central abscess cavity, was strongly hyperintense on diffusion-weighted images. However, variable signal intensity changes were observed on the ADC map; these probably corresponded to regional variation of the concentration of protein in the purulent material. In this case, both diffusion-weighted images and ADC maps were important and complementary in the evaluation of ventricular extension of an intracerebral abscess.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Shadab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.forename: Sait
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albayram
authors.forename: Doris D M
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Yousem
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000473:pathology; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology; D004058:Diffusion; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*