Disseminated intracranial tuberculoma mimicking neurocysticercosis

Intern Med. 2011;50(18):2031-4. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.50.5518. Epub 2011 Sep 15.

Abstract

Intracranial tuberculoma and neurocysticercosis (NCC) are the most frequent granulomatous infections in the central nervous system. Here we report a 41-year-old man with disseminated intracranial tuberculoma mimicking NCC. The patient complained of relapsing vertigo and vomiting consistent with Bruns syndrome. Serum antibodies against cysticercosis were positive. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed multiple disseminated ring-enhanced lesions. An initial diagnosis of NCC was made based on clinical signs and MRI. However, during antiparasitic treatment, the patient exhibited fever, meningitis signs, and positive cerebrospinal fluid findings for tuberculosis. The diagnosis was therefore corrected as tuberculoma. After three months of antituberculous treatment, the patient recovered clinically and on MRI. Our results highlight the importance of differential diagnosis of these two diseases in the early stage.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Brain Diseases / drug therapy
  • Brain Diseases / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neurocysticercosis / diagnosis*
  • Neurocysticercosis / pathology
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tuberculoma, Intracranial / diagnosis*
  • Tuberculoma, Intracranial / drug therapy
  • Tuberculoma, Intracranial / pathology

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents