Learning objectives
TheAimof this work is to :
- Illustrate the imaging patterns of brain and meningeal infections in children.
- Show the contribution of imaging in the diagnosis of pediatric intracranial infections
Background
* Pediatricinfectionsare common,
but thecentral nervous systemis rarely affected.
* Particularities in children:
- Epidemiology,
and clinical presentation are different from those observed in adults.
-Interpretation difficulties of imaging related to the incompleteness of the process of myelination in the newborn and the infant.
* From a pathophysiological point of view,acquiredinfections are distinguished fromcongenitalinfections;
Findings and procedure details
*Imaging of intracranial infectionsisto be widely indicated in newborns and infants due to subtle clinical and biological signs.
It is essential for :
- The assessment of viral or bacterial encephalitis.
- Diagnosis and follow-up of suppurated collections (abscess and empyema..).
- Diagnosis of the cause of infection : petrous,
sinus..
*Transsutellar ultrasoundis the first-line examination in neonate and infant before the closure of the anterior fontanel.
*CTis the most frequently realized.
It allows a good approach of particularly focal infectious lesions (abscess,
empyema,
tuberculoma..)....
Conclusion
- Intracranial infectionsrepresenta diagnosis and therapy emergencies.
- Brain imaging should be widely indicated in neonates and infants because clinical signs are subtle.
References
1- Adamsbaum,
C.
(2007).
Imagerie cérébrale pédiatrique et fœtale.Journal de Radiologie,88(10),
1452.
2- Levy,
C.,
Bingen,
E.,
Aujard,
Y.,
Boucherat,
M.,
Floret,
D.,
Gendrel,
D.,
& Cohen,
R.
(2008).
Observatoire national des méningites bactériennes de l'enfant en France: résultats de 7 années d'étude.Archives de pediatrie,15,
S99-S104.