Parenchymal neurocysticercosis.

摘要

A 28-year-old woman presented with a 1-week history of new-onset dull frontal headache, nausea and vomiting. She had no history of fever, fits or visual symptoms. Examination, including fundoscopy, was unremarkable with no obvious neck stiffness. Blood counts and eryth-rocyte sedimentation rate were within normal limits. Widespread ring-enhancing lesions with perilesional oedema were noted on contrast-enhanced brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Fig. 1). Punctate and eccentrically located enhancing foci, seen in all cysts, were consistent with scolices of the larval (metacestode) development stage of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. Despite her immunocompetent status, the enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (BITB) test was negative for cysticercosis. However, the characteristic MRI findings were considered to be pathognomonic for neu-rocysticercosis.1 Albendazole and oral steroids resulted in rapid resolution of her symptoms. A repeat brain MRI study, planned after discharge from the hospital, could not be performed as she was lost to follow up.