[Diffuse corticoid-sensitive cerebral arteritis (author's transl)].

Three cases of cerebral vascularitis are reported. This affection does not occur frequently and is often unrecognized. It can be isolated or associated with disease such as sarcoidosis, Behcet's disease, or collagen disorders (lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue diseases). Diagnosis is made from the evolution with transient remission, the inflammatory nature of the CSF, and the presence of segmentary narrowing on arteriography. In case of doubt an exploratory operation with biopsy is necessary. The most likely etiology is an auto-immune disturbance, and cortico-therapy has greatly improved the prognosis.