[Cerebral vasculitis].

Abstract

Cerebral vasculitides are infrequent in neurological practice but important for the differential diagnosis of multifocal CNS symptoms. The clinical presentation is typically a combination of chronic headache, multiple strokes and encephalopathy. In systemic vasculitis, a combination of CNS symptoms with inflammatory signs and with peripheral nervous system symptoms (painful multiplex polyneuropathy) or other organ manifestations (skin, joints, kidney, heart, lungs, eye) are frequent. In isolated CNS angiitis, CSF examinations are of particular value. Besides MRI, angiography, CSF and serum examinations, the verification of the diagnosis by biopsy is mandatory.