Magnetic resonance imaging of experimental mumps meningoencephalitis in suckling hamsters.

Mumps virus-infected and normal newborn hamster brains were imaged with magnetic resonance (MR) within 24 h after birth and serially scanned. Hydrocephalus developed explosively on Day 6 postinfection and progressed until death occurred soon after Day 10. This study demonstrates the utility of MR in the investigation of experimental viral encephalitis in very small laboratory animals.