Encephalitis it's prevalence and the computerized tomography changes

Abstract EN

To study the prevalence of encephalitis in Mosul and to evaluate the CT scan changes in these patients.

Two hundred fifty patients with encephalitis were examined clinically and all referred to the CT scan at Ibn-Sena Teaching hospital from the Intensive and Respiratory care unit Ibn-Sena Teaching hospital , General medicine and Pediatric unites in Mosul city between 1983 to1988.

Full history and clinical examination was done for all the patients at the time of admission and during the follow up period, and all of them referred for CT scan early during their admission and for a second CT scan during the follow up period.

Encephalitis was found to be not uncommon disease, with a seasonal variation and to be more common in the cold months of the year.

The most common age group was from infancy to the age of 29 years of age.

Various kinds of neurological deficits like epilepsy, hemiparesis, different cranial nerve palsies and aphasia.

The commonest CT scan lesion was diffuse nonspecific demylination, low attenuation of the white matter, cortical and cerebellar atrophy and various temporal and frontal lesions.

Encephalitis is not uncommon disease in infancy and young age group, and can cause serious neurological deficit.CT scan is very useful tool for diagnosis treatment and follow up of encephalitis.