Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI signs of brain blastomycosis infection in three cats
By Silke Hecht et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2022·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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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 domestic cat was diagnosed with a rare fungal infection called blastomycosis that affected its brain. The cat showed symptoms like neurological issues, and an MRI scan revealed specific brain lesions that helped the veterinarian identify the infection. Treatment was successful initially, but the cat experienced a recurrence of the infection over four years later, which was confirmed by a follow-up MRI showing new and ongoing problems.
People also search for: cat brain infection treatment · blastomycosis in cats symptoms · cat MRI findings explanation
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 DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.966853