title: Central nervous system tuberculosis in non-HIV-positive children: a single-center, 6 year experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper is to describe the imaging features of central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in non-HIV-positive children.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective descriptive evaluation was conducted on imaging studies obtained from ten children admitted to our hospital over a 6-year period who fulfilled criteria for a diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis. Data were collected with regard to patients' clinical, laboratory and demographic characteristics, as well as results of radiological investigation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied ten children, of whom five were boys and five were girls and whose mean age was 4 (range 7 months to 16) years. Neuroradiological findings on the first imaging study were basal meningeal enhancement (100%), hydrocephalus (70%), infarcts (90%), tuberculomas (40%) and cranial nerve involvement (20%). Follow-up studies revealed basal meningeal enhancement, hydrocephalus, and infarcts in all patients, tuberculomas in 70% and cranial nerve involvement in 50%. Only one patient showed a pattern of miliary tuberculosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CNS tuberculosis is still an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality even in nonimmunosuppressed children. Because prompt diagnosis results in earlier treatment, it is crucial to be aware of tuberculous meningitis and its complications at imaging, especially because of the impact on patients' prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00100, Rome, Italy. delfino.luciana@gmail.com
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nogueira Delfino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fariello
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lancella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marabotto
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Menchini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Devito
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Errante
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Quattrocchi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Longo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D020306:Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis*
references.citation: Pediatr Radiol. 2005 Nov;35(11):1092-9
references.pmid: 16079979
references.citation: Pediatr Radiol. 2006 Dec;36(12):1289-94
references.pmid: 17031634
references.citation: Childs Nerv Syst. 2009 Aug;25(8):941-7
references.pmid: 19107489
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2003 Aug;13(8):1876-90
references.pmid: 12942288
references.citation: Infect Immun. 2006 Sep;74(9):5058-66
references.pmid: 16926397
references.citation: Clin Radiol. 2007 Dec;62(12):1206-15
references.pmid: 17981170
references.citation: Pediatr Radiol. 2004 Nov;34(11):876-85
references.pmid: 15378213
references.citation: J Child Neurol. 1995 Jul;10(4):320-9
references.pmid: 7594269
references.citation: Pediatr Radiol. 2007 Feb;37(2):167-72
references.pmid: 17180367
references.citation: Pediatr Radiol. 2008 Dec;38(12):1306-13
references.pmid: 18931835
references.citation: Br J Neurosurg. 2000 Aug;14(4):356-61
references.pmid: 11045206