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Table 2 Results of head imaging performed on 158 of 802 children with aseptic meningitis

From: Paediatric Investigators Collaborative Network on Infections in Canada (PICNIC) study of aseptic meningitis

CT scan result (n = 155*)

MRI result (n = 13*)

Proven enteroviral meningitis

(n = 233)

Clinical aseptic meningitis

(n = 495)

Possible aseptic meningitis

(n = 74)

Normal

Not done

28

70

13

 

Normal

1

3

0

 

Abnormal findings (extracranial)

0

113

0

Not done

Abnormal findings (intracranial)

11

12

13

Abnormal findings (intracranial)

Not done

0

135

36

 

Abnormal findings (intracranial)

0

18

17

Abnormal (previously known findings)

Not done

29

710**

111**

Abnormal findings (extracranial)

Not done

0

412

0

No report

Not done

1

3

0

Number tested/number in diagnostic group (%)

 

33/233 (14.2%)

103/495 (20.8%)

19/74 (25.7%)

Number abnormal/number in diagnostic group (%)

 

4/233 (1.7%)

30/495 (6.1%)

5/74 (6.8%)

Number abnormal/number tested (%)

 

4/33 (12.1%)

30/103 (29.1%)

5/19 (26.3%)

  1. Legend:
  2. CT – computerized tomography
  3. MRI – magnetic resonance imaging
  4. *Ten children had both MRI and CT examinations.
  5. ** Includes one child < 30 days of age
  6. 1 extra-ventricular obstructive hydrocephalus
  7. 2 narrowing of straight sinus
  8. 3 inflammatory changes involving thalamus, midbrain and pons
  9. 4 one patient had multifocal patchy regions of increased T2, one patient had diffuse cerebral edema and one patient had diffuse increased signal intensity
  10. 5 three patients had meningeal enhancement, four patients had a focus of attenuation or hypodensity, three patients had hydrocephalus or ventriculomegaly, one patient had infarct of the cerebellum, basal ganglia, parietal and occipital regions, one patient had optic nerve enlargement, and one patient had a clinical artifact of the brain stem
  11. 6 two patients had subdural effusions and one patient had possible increased intracranial pressure
  12. 7 focus of attenuation or hypodensity
  13. 8 small perforating vessel infarct
  14. 9 one patient had calcifications presumably from methotrexate and radiation therapy and one patient had a ventricular peritoneal shunt
  15. 10 one patient had old trauma, two patients had Dandy Walker Syndrome, one patient had Cockaynes Syndrome, one patient had a possible small aneurysm, and two patients had post-surgical changes
  16. 11 symmetric small ventricles
  17. 12 no intracranial abnormalities, but possible sinusitis or mastoiditis
  18. 13 no intracranial abnormalities, but possible sinusitis
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BMC Infectious Diseases

ISSN: 1471-2334

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