Role of diffusion-weighted imaging and proton MR spectroscopy in distinguishing between pyogenic brain abscess and necrotic brain tumor.
Brain abscesses and brain tumors may have similar clinical presentations. For example, only 50% brain abscess patients have fever, which could be masked by corticosteroid therapy. Also, the differential diagnosis of brain abscesses versus cystic or necrotic tumors may be difficult based on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings. However, the strategies of management for abscess and neoplasm are very different, and it is especially imperative to have a correct diagnosis before any surgical intervention of cystic brain lesions. The MR special techniques, e.g. diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and proton (1H) MR spectroscopy, are useful as additional diagnostic modalities for differentiating brain abscesses from cystic or necrotic brain tumors. DWI shows high signal intensity in most cases of pyogenic abscesses and low signal intensity in most cases of cystic or necrotic tumors. MR spectroscopy shows characteristic metabolites in pyogenic abscesses, distinct from those in cystic or necrotic tumors.
Lai
Ping-Hong
PH
Department of Radiology, Veterans General Hospital-Kaohsiung, Taiwan. phlai@isca.vghks.gov.tw
Hsu
Shu-Shong
SS
Lo
Yuk-Keung
YK
Ding
Shang-Wu
SW
D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D011522:Protons
D011522:Protons