MRI features of pediatric cerebral paragonimiasis in the active stage.
We retrospectively reviewed the MR images of the brains of six children (age = 5-13 years) who had cerebral paragonimiasis in the early active stage. Diagnosis was based on a positive antibody test enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for paragonimiasis in serum. The most common finding (in five patients) was irregular hemorrhage of various degrees. Moreover, in three cases some multiple irregular lesions with surrounding edema appeared to be conglomerated and aggregated. The rare appearance (in one patient) was a "tunnel sign," which showed the migrating track of the adult worm. In one patient with abscess and minimal hemorrhage, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) showed a heterogeneous high signal of lesions. Other findings included slight (one patient) or marked (one patient) irregular contrast enhancement, and large edematous areas surrounding small centers of hemorrhage (two patients). MR findings of conglomerated lesions with hemorrhage or tunnel sign may help to establish the diagnosis of active-stage cerebral paragonimiasis.
Zhang
Jin Song
JS
Department of Radiology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, PR China. zhangjs@tom.com
Huan
Yi
Y
Sun
Li Jun
LJ
Zhang
Guang Yun
GY
Ge
Ya Li
YL
Zhao
Hai Tao
HT
D000293:Adolescent; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000469:parasitology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010237:Paragonimiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies