MRI findings of intracranial tuberculomas

Purpose Tuberculosis involvement of the central nervous system continues to represent a serious problem, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to characterize the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of intracranial tuberculoma, a form of neurotuberculosis. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 27 patients with intracranial tuberculomas. These consisted of 17 women and 10 men with a mean age of 26 years (14–51). MRI was performed on all patients. Results A total of 64 tuberculomas were found in these patients, of which 41 were distributed in the cerebral hemispheres, 17 in the cerebellar hemispheres, and 6 in the brainstem. Accompanied meningitis was detected in three patients, hydrocephalus in five patients, and hydrocephalus with meningitis in one patient. Conclusion MRI makes a significant contribution to diagnosis of intracranial tuberculomas and can objectively determine accompanying abnormalities.