Abstract
Cerebral syphilitic gumma is a rare disease and can be misdiagnosed as a common brain tumor when only conventional imaging results are adopted. Differentiating between syphilitic gumma and tumors may be achieved by applying advanced magnetic resonance (MR) techniques, such as MR spectroscopy and MR perfusion. However, the MR perfusion characteristics of cerebral syphilitic gumma have not been reported yet. Here, we report a case of cerebral syphilitic gumma in a 52-year-old woman and discuss the imaging features of conventional MR, MR spectroscopy, and MR perfusion. The results suggest that the application of MR spectroscopy and MR perfusion could provide additional information that contributes to the diagnosis of cerebral syphilitic gumma.
Highlights
Neurosyphilis is a chronic infection in the central nervous system caused by Treponema pallidum
Neurosyphilis can occur during all stages of syphilis infection
According to the clinical manifestations, it can be divided into various forms, including asymptomatic, meningeal, meningovascular, parenchymal, and gummatous neurosyphilis
Summary
Neurosyphilis is a chronic infection in the central nervous system caused by Treponema pallidum. Based on the clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and conventional MR images, the diagnosis of inflammatory granuloma should be first suspected, while a differential diagnosis including neoplastic lesions such as meningiomas and brain metastasis should be considered. Based on the above findings, the clinical diagnosis of cerebral syphilitic gumma was made.
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