title: Magnetic resonance imaging in cerebral malaria: a report of four cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This is a retrospective institutional review of clinical data and radiological findings of cerebral malaria patients presenting to a tertiary centre in India, which is an known to be endemic for malarial disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present series describes MRI in four cases all of which revealed bithalamic infarctions with or without haemorrhages in patients with cerebral malaria, and this review examines a subset of patients with this condition. In addition, acute haemorrhagic infarctions were also seen the in brain stem, cerebellum, cerebral white matter and insular cortex in two of the four patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this series, the patient with cerebellum and brain stem involvement died. The remaining three survived with antimalarial and supportive treatment. No neurological symptoms were noted on clinical follow-up. MRI follow-up was obtained in only one of the three patients (3 months post-treatment) and showed resolution of thalamic infarctions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These imaging features may help in the early diagnosis of cerebral malaria so that early treatment can begin and improve the clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. drdarshana@yahoo.com
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Rasalkar
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Paunipagar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanghvi
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Sonawane
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loniker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies