Cerebral coenurosis in a cat caused byTaenia serialis: neurological, magnetic resonance imaging and pathological features

Abstract

CLINICAL SUMMARY: A 4-year-old Birman cat was presented with marked obtundation and non-ambulatory tetraparesis. Two well-demarcated, intra-axial T2-hyperintense, T1-hypointense structures, which did not contrast enhance, were evident on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Histopathology of the structures revealed metacestodes that were morphologically indicative of larval stages of Taenia species. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of a fragment within the 12S rRNA gene confirmed the subspecies as Taenia serialis. PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first report of MRI findings of cerebral coenurosis caused by T serialis in a cat. Early MRI should be considered an important part of the diagnostic work-up for this rare clinical disease, as it will help guide subsequent treatment and may improve the prognosis.

Cerebral coenurosis in a cat

“…Isolated cases of feline cerebral coenurosis caused by T. multiceps, T. serialis and Taenia crassiceps have been described in Australia, North America and in the UK (Georgi and others 1969, Hayes and Creighton 1978, Smith and others 1988, Slocombe and others 1989, Huss and others 1994, Wunschmann and others 2003, Ragsdale and Takacs 2011, Jull and others 2012, Kingston and others 2012). Including the cat in this report, all 12 cats described in the veterinary literature exhibited progressive intracranial/neurological signs lasting a few days to two weeks.…”

“…The cross-sectional imaging findings in feline cerebral coenurosis have only been described in two cats (Smith and others 1988, Jull and others 2012). A large solitary hypoattenuating left cerebral cyst was identified on CT in one cat (Smith and others 1988), and two large cysts within the left cerebral hemisphere on MRI in another cat (Jull and others 2012).…”

“…They are often irregular in shape and also not associated with mass effect, perilesional oedema or peripheral enhancement. The size of the lateral ventricle ipsilateral to the porencephalic cyst is often increased, whereas in cerebral coenural cysts the ipsilateral ventricle is invariably compressed or displaced (Georgi and others 1969, Hayes and Creighton 1978, Smith and others 1988, Slocombe and others 1989, Huss and others 1994, Wunschmann and others 2003, Ragsdale and Takacs 2011, Jull and others 2012, Kingston and others 2012). Additional MRI features distinguishing coenuri from porencephaly are that in porencephaly a communication with the subarachnoid space or ventricular system is often apparent and that the cystic changes do not progress with time (Osborn and Preece 2006, MacKillop 2011).…”

“…The reason for this apparent predilection for localisation within the left cerebral hemisphere is not known. Intraventricular cysts also usually present as solitary lesions, but tend to be localised most frequently within the caudal fossa, and the fourth ventricle in particular (Hayes and Creighton 1978, Smith and others 1988, Slocombe and others 1989, Huss and others 1994, Wunschmann and others 2003, Osborn and Preece 2006, MacKillop 2011, Jull and others 2012, Kingston and others 2012). The signal intensity of intraventricular cysts usually mimics that of CSF, the exception being epidermoid and dermoid cysts in which the signal intensity varies depending on the presence of lipid, or keratin within the cyst content (Osborn and Preece 2006, MacKillop 2011).…”

“…The MRI features of feline cerebral coenurosis have been compared with those of neurocysticercosis in man, presumably as human coenurosis is extremely rare and clinically indistinguishable from neurocysticercosis with few reports describing the imaging finding of human coenurosis (Ing and others 1998, García and Del Brutto 2003, Spickler 2005, Jull and others 2012). Cysticercosis is the larval infection caused by the common cestode Taenia solium for which man is also the definitive host (Spickler 2005).…”