Purpose of review: Chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) is a recently described treatable, inflammatory, brainstem predominant encephalomyelitis. The diagnosis of CLIPPERS is challenging without a specific biomarker, and thus it is important to consider if both the clinical and radiographic features are consistent with the diagnosis, or rather a disease mimicker.
Recent findings: Many patients with CLIPPERS-like lesions have been described in the literature with follow-up revealing a range of alternative diagnoses, such as malignancies, vasculitis, and other specific inflammatory diseases. As a result, some have proposed that CLIPPERS might represent a pre-malignancy state or simply an initial clinical syndrome of a variety of possible etiologies. We describe the typical clinical, radiographic, and pathological features of CLIPPERS and emphasize consideration for alternative diagnoses when findings are not classic. A recommended diagnostic evaluation and initial treatment plan is provided.
Keywords: Brainstem encephalitis; CLIPPERS; Encephalomyelitis; Lymphoma; PCNSL; Vasculitis.