MRI and pathological findings of rheumatoid meningitis

Masaaki Matsushima; Hiroaki Yaguchi; Masaaki Niino; Sachiko Akimoto-Tsuji; Ichiro Yabe; Katsunori Onishi; Hidenao Sasaki

doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2009.01.033

MRI and pathological findings of rheumatoid meningitis

J Clin Neurosci. 2010 Jan;17(1):129-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2009.01.033. Epub 2009 Oct 27.

Authors

Masaaki Matsushima¹, Hiroaki Yaguchi, Masaaki Niino, Sachiko Akimoto-Tsuji, Ichiro Yabe, Katsunori Onishi, Hidenao Sasaki

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita-15, Nishi-7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.

PMID: 19864143
DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2009.01.033

Abstract

Rheumatoid meningitis (RM) is one of the most severe complications of rheumatoid arthritis. The mortality rate of RM is relatively high and diagnosis can be difficult. We present an 80-year-old woman who was diagnosed with microscopic findings of RM after analysis of biopsy specimens taken from a brain lesion. MRI scanning revealed meningeal enhancement in the brain, and the pathological findings were those of meningeal lymphocytic infiltration, vasculitis and rheumatoid nodules. RM is a treatable disease and in this patient RM was diagnosed on the basis of biopsy findings.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged, 80 and over
Arachnoid / pathology
Arachnoid / surgery
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / complications*
Biopsy
Brain / pathology*
Brain / surgery
Diagnosis, Differential
Dura Mater / pathology
Dura Mater / surgery
Female
Humans
Lymphocyte Activation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Meninges / immunology
Meninges / pathology*
Meninges / surgery
Meningitis, Aseptic / immunology*
Meningitis, Aseptic / pathology*
Meningitis, Aseptic / physiopathology
Rheumatoid Nodule / etiology
Rheumatoid Nodule / pathology
Rheumatoid Nodule / physiopathology
Steroids / pharmacology
Steroids / therapeutic use
Treatment Outcome
Vasculitis / etiology
Vasculitis / pathology

Substances

Steroids