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MRI studies of spinal visceral larva migrans syndrome.

Umehara F, Ookatsu H, Hayashi D, Uchida A, Douchi Y, Kawabata H, Goto R, Hashiguchi A, Matsuura E, Okubo R, Higuchi I, Arimura K, Nawa Y, Osame M

Department of Neurology and Geriatrics, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Sakuragaoka 8-35-1, Kagoshima, 890-8520, Japan.

We report serial MR findings in four patients with myelitis caused by visceral larva migrans syndrome due to Toxocara canis or Ascaris suum infection. MR imaging revealed spinal cord swelling with or without gadolinium enhancement in three patients. T2-weighted images showed high signal intensities preferentially located in both lateral and posterior columns. Antihelmintic and corticosteroid treatment yielded improvement in neurologic deficits and spinal lesions. However, one patient with T. canis infection relapsed associated with reappearance of MRI abnormalities.

Published 6 November 2006 in J Neurol Sci, 249(1): 7-12.
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