title: Uncommon intracranial abscesses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intracranial abscess, though uncommon, have relatively higher occurrence in low socio-economic settings where previous antibiotic abuse and lack modern culture techniques makes isolation of organisms difficult. Diagnosis and treatment are further delayed by a poor referral system and low index for suspicion. Tuberculoma, cannabis abuse, ventriculo-peritoneal shunt catheters and cancer therapy are presented here as unusual causes of intracranial abscesses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To highlight less commonly encountered causes of an uncommon, but dreaded, neurosurgical condition, their diagnosis and treatment approaches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients who had surgical evacuation of intracranial abscesses not due to pathology from the more familiar spread from sinusitis, mastoid, middle ear, post-meningitic or post -traumatic aetiology are presented. Contrast computerised tomography (CT) brain scan was essential in clinching the diagnosis and determining the management options.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persistent headaches or features of intracranial involvement (in patients undergoing treatment for other conditions) should always warrant CT of the brain. However, there are several differential diagnoses of ring-enhancing lesions on CT which have to be excluded when considering an abscess.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: DO
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Udoh
keywords: Contrast CT brain scan; Localisation and pathology; Uncommon intracranial abscesses