[Early diagnosis of bacterial brain abscesses: interest of diffusion-weighted MRI]

Three cases of bacterial brain abscesses, in immunocompetent patients, are reported. In all these cases, the diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MRI) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map has permitted an early diagnosis and a rapid treatment. This emergency MRI showed in the three cases a low signal on TI-weighted images, a high signal on T2-weighted and echo-planar images, and a decrease of ADC (0.36- 0.49 x 10(-3) mm2/s). So, this new MRI technique provides an available and rapid element in the brain abscess diagnosis which often remains a complex clinical and radiological diagnosis.