Structured Imaging Approach for Viral Encephalitis

Norlisah Mohd Ramli; Yun Jung Bae

doi:10.1016/j.nic.2022.07.002

Structured Imaging Approach for Viral Encephalitis

Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2023 Feb;33(1):43-56. doi: 10.1016/j.nic.2022.07.002.

Authors

Norlisah Mohd Ramli¹, Yun Jung Bae²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Jln Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: norlisahramli@gmail.com.
² Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 82, Gumi-ro 173 Beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13620, Republic of Korea.

PMID: 36404046
DOI: 10.1016/j.nic.2022.07.002

Abstract

MR imaging is essential in diagnosing viral encephalitis. Clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and pathogen confirmation by polymerase chain reaction can be supported by assessing imaging features. MR imaging patterns with typical locations can identify pathogens such as temporal lobe for herpes simplex virus type 1; bilateral thalami for Japanese encephalitis and influenza virus ; and brainstem for enterovirus and rabies. In this article, we have reviewed representative viral encephalitis and its MR imaging patterns. In addition, we also presented acute viral encephalitis without typical MR imaging patterns, such as dengue and varicella-zoster virus encephalitis.

Keywords: Acute encephalitis syndromes (AES); Infectious encephalitis; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Neuroimaging; Viral encephalitis.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Brain Stem
Encephalitis, Viral* / cerebrospinal fluid
Encephalitis, Viral* / diagnostic imaging
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Temporal Lobe