Infectious meningitis mimicking recurrent medulloblastoma on magnetic resonance imaging - Case report

This report and the accompanying review of the literature address the chall enges, when using surveillance magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, of establis hing the origin of newly detected central nervous system lesions. Routine s urveillance MR imaging in a 16-year-old boy, whose medulloblastoma had been successfully treated, demonstrated asymptomatic nodular leptomeningeal enh ancement of the brain and spinal cord, which was consistent with recurrent disease. Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid, however, led to the diagno sis of bacterial meningitis. Two weeks after completion of antibiotic thera py, the original MR imaging findings were seen to have resolved. This case illustrates the importance of considering clinical and laboratory data, inc luding results from a complete examination of the cerebrospinal fluid, when interpreting the origin of new lesions revealed by MR imaging.