Introduction:

Neuroimaging may be utilised as a tool for the managing paediatric neuroinfections such as meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess and vasculitis. It may help in the management & outcome of these infections.

Method:

A retrospective analysis of 3T MRI records from the database between April 2016 and April 2018 was done at a tertiary care hospital. Imaging done by using Discovery 750W 3T scanner (GE healthcare, Milwaukee, USA) were only included for this analysis. Of 856 patients in the database, only those 172 cases presenting with features suggestive of CNS infections were included in the analysis and results of their MR Imaging were documented.

Results:

Of the 172 patients who presented with clinical features of CNS infections, 82(47.67%) showed MRI findings suggestive of neuroinfections. The most common infection noted was meningitis in 44(53.65%) which revealed subtle leptomeningeal enhancement in cerebral sulci & basal cisterns along with exudates in cerebral sulci & basal cisterns. The second common infection noted was encephalitis in 20(24.39%), these showing altered signal intensities in the white matter. Other infections noted were meningoencephalitis in 11(13.41%), brain abscess in 6(7.31%), Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) in 6(7.31%), Guillen-barre syndrome in 4(4.87%) wherein one patient was of Miller-Fisher variant with changes of medullary enhancement & cranial nerve involvement. 2(2.43%) cases demonstrated MRI findings suggesting TORCH infection.

Conclusion:

This study supports the value of neuroimaging as a diagnostic as well as a prognostic tool in paediatric CNS infections.