<unk>  is commonly diagnosed using a variety of tests or procedures. When a physician suspects that a patient has<unk> , the first step is typically to ascertain the presence of the inflammation using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to “take a picture” of the brain. The scans allow physicians to check for “intraventricular debris and pus, abnormal periventricular and subependymal signal intensity, and enhancement of the ventricular lining,” all of which indicate the likelihood of<unk> . MRIs have been reported as being highly effective and sensitive in detecting such indicators, even from an early stage. After determining whether a patient shows signs of<unk> , the doctor may choose to pursue a more specific and useful diagnosis to find the cause of the<unk> . This is done by obtaining a sample of cerebrospinal fluid, most commonly via a procedure called a lumbar puncture or spinal tap. For patients with an implanted external ventricular drain, cerebrospinal fluid can be collected from the drain’s output. After the sample of fluid is obtained, a battery of tests featuring gram staining will be performed to identify any offending pathogen or infection agent. The test will also determine any resistance the pathogen may have to antibiotics. By identifying the viral or bacterial cause of the<unk> , doctors are more able to effectively treat the inflammation and infection. This procedure is fairly effective, but is rarely able to isolate anaerobic organisms that may be causing the inflammation, giving cause for further research and procedural development. It is important to note that, though they present with similar symptoms and often occur in tandem, meningitis and<unk>  are two different diseases, so physicians must be able to distinguish between the two. Meningitis is the inflammation of the protective lining of the central nervous system, called meninges. Because of the similar pathologies and cause of the two types of inflammation, they are difficult to differentiate using chemical testing, but show very different visual effects in both the MRI and CT scans, hence their use as a validation that the patient does, in fact, have<unk>  and not another, but deceptively similar condition such as meningitis.
Ventriculitis
Meningitis
Meningoencephalitis
Encephalitis
Granulomatous meningoencephalitis
Encephalomyelitis
Tuberculous meningitis
Brain abscess