title: Distinguishing Neuroimaging Features in Patients Presenting with Visual Hallucinations.
abstract: Visual hallucinations are relatively uncommon presentations in medical and psychiatric clinics, where they are generally regarded as a marker of possible underlying "organic" brain disease. Thus, patients with visual hallucinations are often referred for imaging of the brain. This article presents a pragmatic approach for the radiologist reviewing such imaging. Because conditions that can present with visual hallucinations are legion, a familiarity with the features of the hallucinations themselves, which can serve as clues to the underlying cause, can be helpful in interpreting such cases. We consider the nature of visual hallucinations and the mechanisms underlying their formation. We then provide a framework to guide the search for their cause, first in terms of focal lesions along the visual pathway and then global conditions affecting >1 region.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neuropsychiatry (T.T.W.-B., R.M., D.V.).
authors.forename: T T
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8940-7816
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Winton-Brown
authors.affiliation: Radiology (A.T., F.G.), Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6308-4745
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ting
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neuropsychiatry (T.T.W.-B., R.M., D.V.).
authors.forename: R
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3594-4733
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mocellin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walterfang
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neuropsychiatry (T.T.W.-B., R.M., D.V.) Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre (D.V.), National Neuroscience Facility, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8842-8479
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Velakoulis
authors.affiliation: Radiology (A.T., F.G.), Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Frank.gaillard@gmail.com.
authors.forename: F
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2382-872X
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaillard
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059906:Neuroimaging; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*