[Different stages of magnetic resonance in cerebral cysticercosis and its clinical significance].

We report the MR findings in 52 cases of cerebral cysticercosis, divided into four stages according to MR findings and clinical features. 1. Active stage 915 cases was characterized by the presence of small cysts in the brain parenchymal. On T1-WI images, the cysticercus appeared as hypointensity vesicle with a high-intensity nodule that corresponded to the scolex; 2. Degenerative stage was characterized by the presence of small cysticercotic cerebral abscess (6 cases) or infarctions (1 case), arachnoiditis with hydrocephalus (2 cases), cysticercus racemose (1 case); 3. Inactive stage was characterized by calcification (10 cases), and fibrosis in the basal meninges with hydrocephalus (2 cases); 4. Mixed stage (14 cases). We conclude that MR is more sensitive than CT in the diagnosis of active and degenerative stages of the parasite, whereas it is less sensitive for the inactive stage.