Serial brain MRI findings in a rare survivor of rabies encephalitis

• Published in: The Indian journal of radiology & imaging Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 286 - 289
• Main Authors: Rao, Akhilesh, Pimpalwar, Yayati, Mukherjee, Arindam, Yadu, Neha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: A-12, Second Floor, Sector -2, NOIDA -201301, India Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd 01.07.2017; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd
• Subjects: Analysis; Care and treatment; Encephalitis; Health aspects; Magnetic resonance imaging; mri brain; Neuroradiology & Head and Neck Imaging; Patients; Prognosis; Rabies; rabies encephalitis; rabies survivor; rabies encephalitis; MRI brain; rabies survivor
• ISSN: 0971-3026; 0970-2016; 0971-3026; 1998-3808
• DOI: 10.4103/ijri.IJRI_440_16

Abstract Rabies is a neurotropic viral illness, almost always fatal, that is equally dreaded by healthcare practitioners and patients due to the dismal prognosis and limited treatment options once symptoms set in. There are hardly any reports on MRI changes in the brain in survivors of rabies encephalitis. We present the clinical course and the imaging findings on serial MRI examinations in a rare patient who survived rabies infection. Initial brain MRI done 8 days after onset of symptoms revealed bilaterally symmetrical non-enhancing areas of T1 and T2 hyperintensity in the basal ganglia, thalami, mid brain, and pons along with T2 hyperintensity and restricted diffusion in fronto-parietal cortical grey matter and left hippocampus. Subsequent MRI scans at 2 months and 5 months revealed progressive brain atrophy, leukoencephalopathy, and gliosis.