Neurology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Correspondence:
Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Correspondence are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hama-Amin, A. D.
Right arrow Articles by Portegies, P.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Hama-Amin, A. D.
Right arrow Articles by Portegies, P.
Related Collections
Right arrow CT
Right arrow Meningitis
NEUROLOGY 2009;73:e53
© 2009 American Academy of Neurology
Resident and Fellow Section

Teaching NeuroImages: Pneumocephalus due to bacterial meningitis

Ako Dara Hama-Amin, MD, H. Jacobus Gilhuis, MD, PhD and Peter Portegies, MD, PhD

From the Department of Neurology (A.D.H.-A.), Haga Hospital, The Hague; Department of Neurology (H.J.G.), Reinier de Graaf Gasthuis Hospital, Delft; and Department of Neurology (P.P.), Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. A. Dara Hama-Amin, Department of Neurology, Haga Hospital, Leyweg 275, 2545 CH The Hague, The Netherlands akodara{at}hotmail.com

A 51-year-old man presented with headache and confusion. On examination, he was somnolent with meningeal signs. Cranial CT scan demonstrated diffuse intracranial air (figure). CSF revealed white blood cell count of 11,850 cells/mm3. Gram stain showed Gram-negative rods. No organisms were detected on CSF culture, probably due to the use of antibiotics for pneumonia. He died shortly afterwards.


Figure 117
View larger version (127K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]

  		Figure Nonenhanced cranial CT scan showing multiple diffuse air pockets in the subarachnoidal space, parenchyma, and ventricles in a patient with meningitis due to Gram-negative rods

 

Pneumocephalus is usually caused by trauma or surgery.1 Bacterial meningitis is a rare cause of pneumocephalus. The majority of patients do not survive.2

Disclosure: The authors report no disclosures.


   REFERENCES
Top.
 REFERENCES
 

  1. Markham JW. The clinical features of pneumocephalus based upon a survey of 284 cases with report of 11 additional cases. Acta Neurochir 1967;16:1–78.[Medline]
  2. Tanaka T, Takagi D, Takeyama N, Kitazawa Y. "Spontaneous" pneumocephalus associated with aerobic bacteremia. Clin Imaging 1989;13:134–139.[Medline]




This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Correspondence:
Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Correspondence are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hama-Amin, A. D.
Right arrow Articles by Portegies, P.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Hama-Amin, A. D.
Right arrow Articles by Portegies, P.
Related Collections
Right arrow CT
Right arrow Meningitis

HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS