Lissauer form of paretic neurosyphilis with a cerebral mass lesion

 

Forma de Lissauer da paralisia geral progressiva com lesão expansiva cerebral

 

 

Ricardo Nitrini^I; Antonio A. Zambón^I; Roberto Hirsh^I; Sérgio Rosemberg^II; M. Scaff^I

^IDepartment of Neurology - Faculty of Medicine, São Paulo University
^IIDepartment of Pathology - Faculty of Medicine, São Paulo University

 

 

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SUMMARY

A 40-year-old male patient with progressive dementia presented adversive seizures, and CT scan showed an enlarging focal mass lesion in the right cerebral hemisphere. Cerebrospinal fluid examination and brain biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of neurosyphilis. After a course of penicillin therapy there was disappearance of the cerebral mass lesion and the CT scan showed focal atrophy in the right cerebral hemisphere. This case suggests that Lissauer form of paretic neurosyphilis may present as a focal mass lesion.

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RESUMO

Registro de caso de paciente do sexo masculino com 40 anos de idade em que a tomografia computadorizada revelou a presença de processo expansivo no hemisfério cerebral direito. Os exames do líqüido cefalorraqueano e biópsia cerebral evidenciaram as características de neurossífilis. Após penicilinoterapia foi constatada atrofia focal no hemisfério cerebral direito. Este caso sugere que a forma de Lissauer da paralisia geral progressiva pode manifestar-se como processo expansivo cerebral.

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