Yamada K, Zoarski G H, Rothman M I, Zagardo M T, Nishimura T, Sun C C
Department of Radiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan.
Neuroradiology. 2001 Jul;43(7):559-61. doi: 10.1007/s002340000535.
We present a case of cerebral aspergillosis in an immunocompetent patient. The MRI signal characteristics were compared with the histologic findings. Irregular low-signal zones were demonstrated between the wall of the abscess and the central necrosis on T2-weighted images; the pathology specimen revealed concentrated iron in these transitional zones but no hemosiderin. Iron is an essential element for the growth of fungal hyphae. The low-signal zones may represent the areas where there was active proliferation of aspergillus, and the unique location of the low signal may be a helpful imaging characteristic for the diagnosis of an aspergillus abscess.
