gms | German Medical Science

59th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)
3rd Joint Meeting with the Italian Neurosurgical Society (SINch)

German Society of Neurosurgery (DGNC)

1 - 4 June 2008, Würzburg

MRI technology diffusion in managing therapy of brain abscesses

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author G. Iorio - U.O.C. Neurochirurgia, Azienda Ospedaliera “G. Rummo”, Benevento, Italia
  • G. Parbonetti - U.O.C. Neurochirurgia, Azienda Ospedaliera “G. Rummo”, Benevento, Italia
  • C. F. Muccio - U.O.C. Neuroradiologia, Azienda Ospedaliera “G. Rummo”, Benevento, Italia
  • A. Cerase - U.O.C. Neuroradiologia Policlinico “Santa Maria alle Scotte”, Siena, Italia
  • G. Esposito - U.O.C. Neuroradiologia, Azienda Ospedaliera “G. Rummo”, Benevento, Italia
  • G. Catapano - U.O.C. Neurochirurgia, Azienda Ospedaliera “G. Rummo”, Benevento, Italia

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Società Italiana di Neurochirurgia. 59. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 3. Joint Meeting mit der Italienischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (SINch). Würzburg, 01.-04.06.2008. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2008. DocP 055

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2008/08dgnc324.shtml

Published: May 30, 2008

© 2008 Iorio et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of the technique by measuring the apparent diffusion coefficient (DWI-ADC) in RM control of therapy of cerebral abscesses (CA).

Methods: Five patients (4 F 1M; age 39-80 years) with 6 CA from pyogeni (3F and 1M) and 4 CA from Toxoplasma gondii (1F) were studied with MRI 1.5T including DWI-ADC at time of diagnosis and after therapy (range control RM: 1-20 months). Three CA from pyogeni were treated surgically using stereotactic biopsy, three CA from pyogeni and abscesses from Toxoplasma were treated with antibiotic therapy alone. MRI signal, DWI and ADC measure in abscessual cavity were correlated with the clinical data.

Results: At time of diagnosis, the abscesses from pyogeni had signal T1 hypointense, T2 and DWI hyiperintense and low ADC values (0.46±0.07x10-3 mm2/sec), those from Toxoplasma showed a signal T1 and DWI hysointense, T2 hyperintense and high ADC values (mean: 1.12±0.14x10-3 mm2/sec). Two abscesses from pyogeni surgically treated and those three treated with antibiotic therapy, showed an increase in ADC values, together with clinical improvement. An abscess surgically drained at the MRI control presented again low ADC values in the cavity evacuated, as re-accumulation of pus, along with clinical deterioration. During the medical treatment, Toxoplasma abscesses showed reduction of ADC values.

Conclusions: The technique DWI-ADC is useful to evaluate the efficacy of therapy of brain abscesses. The changes in ADC values seem to correlate with a good therapeutic response.