Abstract
With the exception of herpes simplex virus encephalitis type 1 involving preferentially limbic structures of the brain the imaging features of viral encephalitis are mostly unspecific. Typical features of viral encephalitis are vasogenic brain oedema and swelling, variable contrast enhancement of the involved structures and possibly haemorrhage. The major task of the neuroradiologist is to differentiate viral encephalitis from other noninflammatory entities such as neoplastic diseases or ischaemia.
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Further Reading
Bakshi R (2004) Neuroimaging of HIV and AIDS related illness: a review. Front Biosci 9:632–646
Falcone S, Post MJ (2000) Encephalitis, cerebritis, and brain abscess: pathophysiology and imaging findings. Neuroimag Clin N Am 10(2):333–353
Hähnel S, Storch-Hagenlocher B, Seitz A (2006) Infectious diseases of the brain: imaging and differential diagnosis. Radiologie Up2Date 3:207–234 [in German]
Kennedy PG (2004) Viral encephalitis: causes, differential diagnosis, and management. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 75(Suppl 1):i10–i15
Roos KL (1999) Encephalitis. Neurol Clin 17(4):813–833
Tan CS, Koralnik IJ (2010) Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and other disorders caused by JC virus: clinical features and pathogenesis. Lancet Neurol. 9(4):425–37
Weber W, Henkes H, Felber S et al (2000) Diagnostic imaging in viral encephalitis. Radiologe 40 (11):998– 010 [in German]
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© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Hähnel, S. (2012). Viral Encephalitis. In: Hähnel, S. (eds) Inflammatory Diseases of the Brain. Medical Radiology(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2012_631
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2012_631
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