The clinical, neuroradiological, and pathological features of cerebral sparganosis in Jiangxi Province, China.

OBJECTIVE

Cerebral sparganosis, a rare parasitic disease of the central nervous system (CNS) caused by the infection of the plerocercoid larvae of the genus Spirometra, is mainly reported in East and Southeast Asia. Our aim in this study is to summarize its clinical, neuroradiological, and pathological features.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed for all patients who were selected from electronic case databases between January 2012 and January 2025 in the Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital and the Xinyu People's Hospital. The clinical manifestations, neuroimaging findings, pathological results, treatment and outcomes of these patients were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 11 patients, including 2 females and 9 males, were included in this study. The average age was 44 years. The commonest symptoms were headache (72.73%) and seizure (45.45%). The lesions are mostly single and often located in the subcortical white matter of cerebral hemispheres. Different forms of enhancement were visualized on the enhanced-T1 weighted images, including ring-like (100%), beaded or knot-like (81.82%), nodular or irregular (36.36%), and tunnel-like enhancement (72.73%). Moreover, migration sign was found in more than half of the patients on follow-up MRI. Four out of 11 patients received surgical treatment. The pathological feature of cerebral sparganosis was inflammatory granuloma.

CONCLUSIONS

Migration sign is the most prominent MRI feature of cerebral sparganosis. It is very important to conduct a dynamic imaging evaluation in order to monitor the changes of location and shape of the lesion. Surgery is the best choice for the treatment of cerebral sparganosis.