Listeria monocytogenes brain abscess on MR imaging mimicking the track of a migrating worm like a sparganum: A case report

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) infection is a rare cause of meningoencephalitis. Brain abscess represents only 1–10% of Listeria central nervous system (CNS) manifestations. The typical magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the brain finding is ring enhancement after contrast administration. No previous study reported an atypical MRI from this infection that mimics migratory worm infection such as sparganosis in tunnel sign enhancement and bead-like serpiginous tubular lesion. Thus we report a 36-year-old female patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed a fever and deterioration of consciousness caused from a brain abscess. This imaging closely resembles a parasitic infection and initially leads to a diagnosis of parasitic infection. Finally, the brain abscess was removed and culture confirmed a L. monocytogenes infection.

Keywords

• Listerial brain abscess
• Conglomerate ring enhancement
• Bead-like serpiginous tubular enhancement
• Cerebral sparganosis