Imaging spectrum of CNS coccidioidomycosis: prevalence and significance of concurrent brain and spinal disease.

Lammering, Jeanne C; Iv, Michael; Gupta, Nidhi; Pandit, Rajul; Patel, Mahesh R · AJR Am J Roentgenol · 2013

retrospective_cohort · Level III

Where this comes from

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and significance of concurrent coccidioidal brain and intraspinal disease. We conducted a retrospective imaging review of 23 patients with proven coccidioidal CNS meningitis. All patients had intracranial abnormalities, and 86% (19/22) who underwent spinal imaging had signs of intraspinal disease, including leptomeningeal enhancement (84%), arachnoiditis (63%), and cord signal abnormalities (37%); seven of 15 patients (47%) who underwent myelography had complete spinal blocks. The high prevalence of concurrent brain and intraspinal coccidioidomycosis supports a low threshold for spinal imaging.

Medical subject headings