Helped Over 500,000 patients with 98%+ satisfaction.

Connect & Get Personalized 1-to-1 Answers from Expert Doctors

DoctorSpring > Question Home

Encephalitis

Resolved Question:

Hi,

My uncle is currently in a hospital in India, the reasons being imbalance and senseless and disconnected talking. His MRI report shows the following. His family is looking for advice from other doctors and I am doing the same. Any help or suggestions about causes and diagnosis on the below will be appreciated. Many thanks,
Sourav

MRI report:-

Prominent Vr spaces noted in bilateral anterior perforated substance extending to bilateral putamen. Multiple small discrete T2 Flair Hyperintense Foci in bilateral frontal lobe deep white matter. White matter hyperintensitis. Fluid signal noted in left mastoid air cell Mastoiditis

Category: Family Physician-GP

Ask Your Own Question

Category: HIV- AIDS Specialist
 31 Doctors Online

Hello,

Thank you for choosing DoctorSpring.

The MRI as per the report short white matter lesions, which is suggestive of a demyelinating disease. I would require some additional details inorder to give you a more solid opinion.

1. For how long he is having the symptoms ? How did it progress ?
2. Is there any weakness of legs or arms ? Any trembling ? any memory loss ? any tightness of body ?
3. Any other symptoms as a matter of fact ( A good medical history is very important in Neurological cases )
4. If possible please share the scanned MRI report + 1 or 2 cuts of the film.
5. Was a CSF study done ?

Thank you


Patient replied :

Hi,

Whilst I requested for the information, he was transferred to a better hospital in Calcutta, India for treatment. His condition did not improve and doctors there have diagnosed him with Encephalitis. He will have another MRI done today.

1. It has started 2 days before I posted the query to you. First diagnosis was sodium and potassium shortage that has caused brain functions to not work properly! Then, they found there was something in the throat for which they inserted a pipe to check it. Since, then breathing suffered and he went to ventilation. He was brought to Calcutta and the doctors found that the pipe poked the throat and caused a lump there which they removed. Breathing came down to normal since then but he was still in ventilation. Then came complications like high creatinine levels, not responding to people, senselessness and finally yesterday a senior doc diagnosed him with encephalitis.

2. I think encephalitis answers all your questions in point 2. Yes, yes, yes and no.

3. There isn't anything else that I am aware of. Sorry.

4. I have requested for it but his state was serious that his relatives could not send the report photographed/scanned to me. Tomorrow there is another MRI report coming out so I will ask for it.

5.No.

Further questions: I am assuming right from Day 1, encephalitis virus had set in. Taking into consideration that it is almost 2 weeks now and finally the right diagnosis has taken place, we are afraid the patient may have suffered brain damage. Do you think there is a treatment to encephalitis and a possibility that the risk of brain damage is low even now? I guess an MRI report can show it better but please provide me your knowledge about this disease till I send you the latest reports.

Many thanks,
Sourav


Hello Sourav,

Thank you for the update. Well, my opinion here will be based on very limited information, so please take that into consideration. Always follow your Doctors recommendations.

It seems a immediate diagnosis was not possible in the patient's case. This can occur in Neurological scenarios. In these condition Doctors would presumptively treat all the possible conditions (for example antibiotics, antiviral, anti seizure medications). I am pretty sure that he has got treatment in those lines.

The current diagnosis of encephalitis , I feel will not alter the course of the treatment or prognosis. I am sure this was under consideration. From what your have mentioned - ventilatory support, high creatine levels, neurological deterioration are not good signs. He does have good amount of mortality risk. You need not in lines of brain damage as encephalitis is an infection if he recovers well, his neurological function can be still good (90% or so).

Supportive care is very important - Ventilatory, Nursing, Critical care . I hope he is under good care and wishing all the best.

Hope this helps
Feel free to ask followups
Thank you


Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy
Category: HIV- AIDS Specialist
Experience: 
MBBS from Sri Ramachandra University in December 2011
M.Med (Family Medicine) - TNMGR University, Chennai
MBA-MPH in Public Health in March 2016, SRM University
Finished AFIH in March 2016, SRM University
MRCP ( UK ), Internal Medicine, Royal College of Physicians, June 2016
Fellowship in Diabetology from Martin Luther University in January 2017

Currently Resident Physician, in MD Radiodiagnosis - Kamakshi Memorial Hospital, Chennai
Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy and 4 other Medical Specialists are ready to help you

Users who read this, also read:

Make informed and better medical decisions.

Join the 500,000 people who found a smarter, quicker way to get Answers, Recommendations & Expert Opinions.

Expert Doctors at fingertips

Recommendation on next step. Second-opinion.Multi-specialty.

Save Time

Average time for answers: 6 hours.

Save Money

$35 for typical specialist consult vs. $120 for a local appointment.

Free Follow-ups

Clarify, ask further questions for free in private conversation.

100% Satisfaction

Money back guarantee for the 1st reply. MEDNET Quality Board.

Start My Consultation

CHAT NOW

About DoctorSpring.com

Doctor Spring is a novel online Doctor consultation platform where you can get your medical questions answered by leading Doctors. Just Submit your question and rest assured that you will consult a Doctor easily. Once you submit the question, the Doctor from the concerned specialty will reply within hours. You can always ask more questions or add details with follow-up question options and make it an online doctor chat. You may use this service to consult a specialty or for getting medical second opinion. All paid services come with a MEDNET quality assurance and 100% money back guarantee.

DoctorSpring in news