Abstract
Brain abscesses develop in response to a parenchymal infection with pyogenic bacteria, beginning as a localized area of cerebritis and evolving into a suppurative lesion surrounded by a well-vascularized fibrotic capsule. The leading etiologic agents of brain abscess are the streptococcal strains and S. aureus. Abscesses may also be secondary to fungal or parasitic organisms. Brain abscess represents a significant medical problem, accounting for one in every 10,000 hospital admissions in the United States, and remains a serious situation despite recent advances made in detection and therapy. These lesions often produce complex clinical and radiologic findings and require prompt recognition and treatment to avoid a fatal neurologic outcome. Subdural empyema represents an important type of intracranial suppurative infectious-inflammatory disorder. Clinically, these patients initially have signs and symptoms of meningitis, but this course might be complicated later by the development of seizures and focal neurologic signs.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 676-679 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Neuroradiology Journal |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2012 |
Keywords
- Cerebral abscess
- Empyema
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Clinical Neurology