Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI signs of brain blastomycosis infection in three cats
By Hecht, Silke et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2022·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case report: MRI findings with CNS blastomycosis in three domestic cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male domestic cat was diagnosed with a rare fungal infection called blastomycosis, which affected his central nervous system. The cat showed symptoms like neurological issues, and an MRI revealed specific brain lesions that indicated the presence of the infection. While one of the cats was successfully treated and managed to recover for over four years, he later experienced a recurrence of the infection, which was confirmed by a follow-up MRI showing new and ongoing issues. Treatment for blastomycosis can be complex, and ongoing monitoring is essential for affected cats.
People also search for: cat neurological problems · blastomycosis in cats treatment · cat MRI findings · recurrent fungal infection in cats
Abstract
Blastomycosis is a systemic mycotic infection caused by dimorphic fungi. The disease is rare in cats, and reports on imaging findings with central nervous system (CNS) involvement are limited. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed antemortem in three feline patients. Imaging findings that may allow prioritization of intracranial blastomycosis over other differential diagnoses included focal or multifocal intra-axial mass lesions with dural contact, lesion hypointensity on T2-weighted images and diffusion-weighted imaging/apparent diffusion coefficient map (DWI/ADC), strong and homogeneous contrast enhancement of the lesion(s), concurrent meningeal enhancement, marked perilesional edema and mass-effect, and ocular abnormalities. One cat was managed successfully and had a recurrence of CNS blastomycosis more than 4.5 years after the initial diagnosis. Repeat MRI at that point revealed both new and persistent (chronic) abnormalities.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36051537/