Brain Abscess Showing a Lack of Restricted Diffusion and Successfully Treated with Linezolid

Joo Hyun Kim; Sang Phil Park; Byung Gwan Moon; Deok Ryeong Kim

doi:10.14791/btrt.2018.6.e16

Brain Abscess Showing a Lack of Restricted Diffusion and Successfully Treated with Linezolid

Brain Tumor Res Treat. 2018 Oct;6(2):92-96. doi: 10.14791/btrt.2018.6.e16.

Authors

Joo Hyun Kim¹, Sang Phil Park¹, Byung Gwan Moon¹, Deok Ryeong Kim²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Eulji University, Nowon Eulji Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Eulji University, Nowon Eulji Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. drkdr@hanmail.net.

Abstract

A 59-year-old patient with a history of hepatocellular carcinoma presented with decreased consciousness and left hemiparesis. A rim-enhanced mass lesion without diffusion restriction was observed in contrast-enhanced MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging. Based on these findings, metastatic brain tumor was suspected. However, brain abscess (BA) was diagnosed after multiple bacterial colonies were observed in aspiration biopsy. Initial conventional antibiotic treatment including vancomycin had failed, so linezolid was used as second-line therapy. As a result, infection signs and clinical symptoms were resolved. We report a case with atypical imaging features and antibiotic susceptibility of a BA in an immunocompromised patient undergoing chemotherapy.

Keywords: Brain abscess; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Linezolid.

Publication types

Case Reports