eMedicine Specialties > Radiology > Brain/Spine

Meningitis, Bacterial: Follow-up

Author: Lutfi Incesu, MD, Professor, Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine; Chief, Neuroradiology and MR Unit, Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayis University Hospital, Turkey
Coauthor(s): Anil Khosla, MBBS, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center of St Louis
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Mar 13, 2009

Intervention

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • The failure to diagnose bacterial meningitis can result in mortality or serious, permanent neurologic deficit.
  • Identifying cerebral complications early is important. Some complications, such as symptomatic hydrocephalus, subdural empyema, and cerebral abscess, require prompt neurosurgical intervention.
  • Inappropriate lumbar puncture may occur. This procedure must not be performed in patients who may have possible increased intracranial pressure. Normal CT scan findings may not be sufficient evidence of normal intracranial pressure in patients with bacterial meningitis.

Special Concerns

  • The clinical presentation of bacterial meningitis varies with the age of the patient.
  • If a patient has been taking antibiotics for another infection, the symptoms of meningitis can take longer to develop, or they may be less intense.
 


More on Meningitis, Bacterial

Overview: Meningitis, Bacterial
Imaging: Meningitis, Bacterial
Follow-up: Meningitis, Bacterial
Multimedia: Meningitis, Bacterial
References
Further Reading
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References

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Keywords

bacterial meningitis. pyogenic meningitis, purulent meningitis, granulomatous meningitis, lymphocytic meningitis, pachymeningitis, leptomeningitis

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Lutfi Incesu, MD, Professor, Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine; Chief, Neuroradiology and MR Unit, Department of Radiology, Ondokuz Mayis University Hospital, Turkey
Lutfi Incesu, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Neuroradiology and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Anil Khosla, MBBS, Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center of St Louis
Anil Khosla, MBBS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Neuroradiology, North American Spine Society, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Lucien M Levy, MD, PhD, Director of Neuroradiology, Professor of Radiology, Department of Radiology, George Washington University Medical Center
Lucien M Levy, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Cancer Society, American College of Radiology, American Heart Association, American Medical Association, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Neuroradiology, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Bernard D Coombs, MB, ChB, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Specialist Rehabilitation Services, Hutt Valley District Health Board, New Zealand
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

C Douglas Phillips, MD, Professor, Departments of Radiology, Neurosurgery, and Otolaryngology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center
C Douglas Phillips, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Medical Association, American Society of Head and Neck Radiology, American Society of Neuroradiology, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Robert M Krasny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
Robert M Krasny, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

James G Smirniotopoulos, MD, Professor of Radiology, Neurology, and Biomedical Informatics, Chairman, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
James G Smirniotopoulos, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Roentgen Ray Society, American Society of Head and Neck Radiology, American Society of Neuroradiology, American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology, Association of University Radiologists, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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