Autoimmune-mediated encephalitis

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Philippe Demaerel - , KU Leuven (Author)
  • Wim Van Dessel - , KU Leuven (Author)
  • Wim Van Paesschen - , KU Leuven (Author)
  • Rik Vandenberghe - , KU Leuven (Author)
  • Koen Van Laere - , KU Leuven (Author)
  • Jennifer Linn - , Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Author)

Abstract

Autoimmune-mediated encephalitis may occur as a paraneoplastic or as a non-paraneoplastic condition. The role of neuroimaging in autoimmune-mediated encephalitis has changed in the last decade partly due to improvements in sequence optimisation and higher field strength and partly due to the discovery of an increasing number of antibodies to neuronal cell and cell membrane antigens. Imaging is important since it can support the clinical diagnosis particularly in the absence of antibodies. Structural imaging findings can be subtle and are usually best seen on FLAIR images. A progressive as well as a relapsing-remitting course can be observed. Autoimmune-mediated encephalitis is classically linked to involvement of the hippocampus and amygdala, but extensive changes in the temporal cortex, basal ganglia, hypothalamus, brain stem, frontal and parietal cortex are not unusual. This report is based on a review of the literature (except the literature in Japanese) and own findings in patients with autoimmune-mediated encephalitis.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)837-851
Number of pages15
JournalNeuroradiology
Volume53
Issue number11
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2011
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 21271243

Keywords

Keywords

  • Autoantibody, Autoimmune, Limbic, MR imaging, Paraneoplastic