MRI Diagnosis of Intraventricular Neurocysticercosis

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for intraventricular neurocysticercosis.Materials and Methods Characteristic MRI appearances of 52 patients with intraventricular neurocysticercosis verified by MRI and clinic were retrospectively analysed. All patients were performed with plain MRI scan, 16 cases were performed with enhanced MRI, MRI findings were compared with plain cerebral CT in 32 cases.Results There were two Types of 52 cases with intraventricular neurocysticercosis, including intraventricular type (28/52, 53.8%) and mixed type (24/52, 46.2%). Among of them, the fourth ventricle (n=32), the lateral ventricle (n=10) and the third ventricle (n=7). Another 3 cases were existed in more than one ventricles. There were total 77 cystic lesions of 52 cases, single and multiple intraventricular neurocysticercosis were detected in 37 and 15 patients respectively. Of all the 77 cystic lesions, 41 scolexes (41/77, 53.2%) could be well seen on T_1WI. The intensity of the scolex was similar to that of the cerebral parenchyma on T_1WI and very complicated on T_2WI, which showed hypo-, iso- or hyperintensity. Only 10 of 32 cases were diagnosed by CT scan.Conclusion MRI is the best choice and is superior to CT for the diagnosis of intraventricular neurocysticercosis.