Complementary role of MRI and positron emission tomography in diagnosing cerebral abscess in a patient with metastatic paraganglioma

We present the case of a patient with metastatic paraganglioma, who presented with headache and depressed conscious state. We had chronic tachycardia and low‐grade fevers due to increased catecholamine secretion, which limited his clinical assessment. The combination of novel positron emission tomography tracers and advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques was able to provide a confident preoperative diagnosis of a pyogenic intracranial abscess, which was not suspected clinically. This allowed appropriate therapy to be instituted until the patient's clinical state improved sufficiently for neurosurgery to be performed.
Source: Australasian Radiology - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Medical Imaging —Case of the Month Source Type: research