title: Varicella zoster CNS vascular complications. A report of four cases and literature review.
abstract: This study explored the neurologic vascular complications of varicella zoster virus (VZV). We describe four patients presenting at our institution with neurologic involvement by VZV. MR and MRA studies of the intracranial arterial circulation in the head were read by board-certified radiologists using standard clinical procedures. On MRI, three patients had acute infarcts and in two instances irregularities and narrowings of vessels were visible. Many of these complications are recognized to be due to a vasculopathy affecting small or large vessels and resulting in cerebral infarctions and rarely hemorrhages. The pattern of cerebral infarction and vascular abnormalities is not specific and resembles those of vasculitis/vasculopathy from other causes. The central nervous system (CNS) vascular complications of VZV should be considered in the patients with simultaneous primary or prior VZV infection whose imaging studies show cerebral infarction and/or vasculitic appearing intracranial arteries.
authors: Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology Division, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC, USA - franciscochiang@gmail.com.
authors: Francisco
authors: F
authors: Chiang
authors: Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology Division, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors: Theeraphol
authors: T
authors: Panyaping
authors: Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology Division, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors: Gustavo
authors: G
authors: Tedesqui
authors: Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology Division, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Sossa
authors: Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology Division, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC, USA - Department of Radiology, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine; São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Costa Leite
authors: Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology Division, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors: Mauricio
authors: M
authors: Castillo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020804:Encephalitis, Varicella Zoster / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: MRI; complication; imaging; varicella zoster; vasculitis