Diagnóstico comparativo entre ressonância magnética e tomografia computadorizada na detecção da neurocisticercose

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis (NCC) is characterized by central nervous system (CNS) lesions caused by the Taenia solium cyst. The inflammatory reaction in the body happens resulting in the degeneration of the larval cyst causing clinical symptoms such as epileptic episodes. The aim of this study was to compare the imaging characteristics on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), high lighting the effectiveness of each technique in the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis. Systematic literature review study, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) as a method and using search engines in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo) database, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS). Articles from 1998 to 2018 were used in Portuguese and English. The results indicate that CT and MRI produce satisfactory and objective images when analyzed in patients with positive symptoms for NCC. Tomography allows better visualization of calcified cysts, while magnetic resonance enables better tissue definition.