Korean J Parasitol.  2009 Mar;47(1):53-56. 10.3347/kjp.2009.47.1.53.

Cerebellar Schistosomiasis: A Case Report with Clinical Analysis

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurology and Functional Neurosurgery, West China Fourth Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P.R. China. zeonguton@yahoo.cn
  • 2Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, P. R. China.
  • 3Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, P.R. China.

Abstract

The authors report here a rare case of cerebellar schistosomiasis identified by pathological diagnosis, lacking extracranial involvement. The clinical symptoms included headache, dizziness, and nausea. Studies in blood were normal and no parasite eggs were detected in stool. Computed tomography of brains showed hypodense signal, and magnetic resonance imaging showed isointense signal on T1-weighted images, hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images, and intensely enhancing nodules in the right cerebellum after intravenous administration of gadolinium. A high-grade glioma was suspected, and an operation was performed. The pathologic examination of the biopsy specimen revealed schistosomal granulomas scattered within the parenchyma of the cerebellum. The definitive diagnosis was cerebellar schistosomiasis japonica. A standard use of praziquantel and corticosteroid drugs was applied, and the prognosis was good. When the pattern of imaging examinations is present as mentioned above, a diagnosis of brain schistosomiasis should be considered.

Keyword

Schistosoma japonicum; schistosomiasis; brain; computed tomography; magnetic resonance imaging

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use
Animals
Brain Diseases/drug therapy/*parasitology/pathology/radiography
Cerebellum/*parasitology/radiography
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Middle Aged
Praziquantel/therapeutic use
Schistosoma japonicum/isolation & purification
Schistosomiasis japonica/drug therapy/*parasitology/pathology/radiography
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