MediAI

  Varicella-Zoster Virus Myelitis: MRI Diagnosis, CT Imaging Findings, Differential Diagnosis, and Emergency Radiology Interpretation Introduction A 74-year-old woman arrives at the emergency department with an unusual complaint. Over the past two weeks, she has experienced progressively worsening numbness in both lower extremities. She has metastatic breast cancer but has remained neurologically stable until recently. During the physical examination, clinicians notice something that immediately changes the diagnostic direction—a painful, linear vesicular rash extending from the right buttock to the foot. Could this be spinal metastasis? Acute spinal cord infarction? Multiple sclerosis? Or something much rarer? The answer lies in one of the most fascinating yet easily overlooked neurological complications of Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) — Varicella-Zoster Virus Myelitis . Although herpes zoster ("shingles") is common worldwide, spinal cord involvement occurs in only a tiny fr...

Neurocysticercosis: A Radiologic Diagnosis Hidden in Plain Sight Neurocysticercosis remains one of the most fascinating yet underrecognized infectious diseases encountered in modern medical imaging. Despite being the most common parasitic infection of the central nervous system worldwide, it is frequently overlooked in emergency diagnosis, especially in non-endemic countries. For radiologists, neurologists, emergency physicians, and clinicians involved in CT scan diagnosis or MRI interpretation, neurocysticercosis represents a critical differential diagnosis in patients presenting with seizures, chronic headaches, cognitive decline, or unexplained intracranial lesions. The disease can mimic tumors, metastases, encephalitis, tuberculosis, or autoimmune disorders. In many cases, imaging becomes the decisive factor that saves the patient from misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgery. This article explores the pathophysiology, epidemiology, imaging findings, differential diagnosis, treatment, ...