The imaging features of cerebral septic infarction in two patients with infective endocarditis

Abstract

Background: Neurologic complications are frequently seen in infective endocarditis (IE) and were identified in about 70% of patients with IE. However, the imaging features of the cerebral septic infarction were less investigated.

Purpose: To demonstrate the imaging features of the cerebral septic infarction of IE.

Material and methods: Two patients were clinically diagnosed as IE according to the modified Duke criterion. We studied their imaging profiles and reviewed the literature of the imaging features of neurologic complications of IE.

Results: The critical features are multiple ischemic and hemorrhagic lesions, most of which locate at the cortical-medullary junction. The septic infarctions are irregular patchy in shape and have characteristic imaging features indicating complications of IE.

Conclusion: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with different sequences can detect the features and provide clinical evidence to physicians to make the correct diagnoses and then the treatment plans.

Keywords: Abscess; Infarction; Infective endocarditis; Magnetic resonance imaging.