Behcet's disease: brain imaging findings

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the pattern and site of brain involvement in neuro-Behcet's disease. Twenty patients with Behcet's disease, four with neurological manifestations and 16 patients without neurological manifestations were evaluated. T1 weighted and T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging as well as magnetic resonance angiography and magnetic resonance venography images were obtained for all patients. Non-enhanced axial computerized tomography was performed only for the four patients with neurological manifestations. Four out of 20 patients [20%] with neurological symptoms showed abnormal radiological findings. The changes were seen in the basal ganglia, thalamus, brain stem and cerebellum. The abnormal changes were high signal intensity in T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging and low signal intensity in T1 weighted magnetic resonance imaging, the abnormalities on computerized tomography scan were low-density lesions. The magnetic resonance imaging for the other 16 patients [80%] neurological in asymptomatic were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography play a major role in the diagnosis of brain involvement in Behcet's disease. The basal ganglia, thalamus, brain stem and cerebellum are the commonest sites of involvement. Imaging does not seem to be of value in neurologically asymptomatic patients