Multidisciplinary Approach to Tropical and Subtropical Infectious Diseases: Imaging with Pathologic Correlation

We described the CT and MR imaging features of several tropical and subtropical endemic diseases, with microbiology, serology, and histopathology correlations in a few cases. The pictorial includes a collection of common and rare bacterial, granulomatous, viral, fungal, and parasitic diseases in patients who were immunocompetent and immunocompromised. Most of these diseases have pathognomonic findings in relation to areas of involvement of the CNS and can sometimes have overlapping imaging features. Based on a high clinical index of suspicion, patient demographics, and specific laboratory investigations, a proper diagnosis can be made. Imaging features may be complicated or atypical in patients who are immunocompromised. This article includes a collection of imaging features of tuberculosis and pyogenic brain abscess; parasitic diseases, such as cerebral malaria, neurocysticercosis, toxoplasmosis, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, hydatid disease, and amoebic encephalitis; fungal diseases, such as aspergillosis, blastomycosis, cryptococcosis; viral infections, which comprise poliomyelitis, Japanese encephalitis, varicella zoster, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human T- cell lymphotropic virus; and spirochetal infections, for example, neurosyphilis.

Learning Objectives: To evaluate the importance of geographic location, common and uncommon clinical presentation, imaging features, and laboratory investigations in the diagnosis of tropical infections.