Abstract
Central nervous system (CNS) infections are a major source of morbidity and mortality
despite the remarkable progress in prevention and treatment of infectious disease.
Because of the difficulty of direct tissue sampling, imaging plays a crucial role
in detecting, diagnosing, and monitoring the therapeutic response of CNS infections.
An accurate diagnosis in CNS infections is especially rewarding, given the availability
of potential effective antimicrobials.
Bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections may affect the brain and/or its
meningeal coverings, and can be characterized by a variety of radiological patterns
that help narrow the differential diagnoses and eventually tailor the optimal management.
This review addresses the typical imaging findings of intracranial infectious diseases
in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients.
Keywords
neuroimaging - CNS infections - immunocompetent patients - immunocompromised patients
