Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Viral encephalitis CT
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection. CT scan should be performed in all patient with suspected encephalitis. It helps in excluding ass lesion, bleeding and infarction that could be the possible cause for the encephalopathic state. It should always be performed before lumber puncture in case manifestations suggestive of increased intra-cranial pressure is there.
CT
CT
- CT scan should be done in all patients with encephalitis.
- It should be performed before lumber puncture if there are signs and symptoms suggestive of elevated intracranial tension (focal neurological involvement) is there, for instance obstructive hydrocephalus, or mass effect.
- It helps in excluding brain hemorrhage or infarction as a cause of an encephalopathy. Bleeding is uncommon except in patients with herpes simplex type 1 encephalitis.
- It may present as areas of edema, petechial hemorrhage or nodular or ring enhancing lesion (toxoplasmosis)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [2]; Anthony Gallo, B.S. [3]