Imaging Patterns and Differential Diagnosis of Autoimmune Encephalitis

Limbic encephalitis is a common imaging feature of autoimmune encephalitis, but cortical, basal ganglia, brainstem, and cerebellar involvement also occur. A practical review outlines imaging patterns of key causes and differential diagnoses for radiologists.

• Autoimmune encephalitis results from a misdirected immune attack on neuronal structures, often triggered by paraneoplastic or parainfectious processes.
• Clinical presentations include subacute altered mentation, cognitive decline, drug-resistant epilepsy, movement disorders, and autonomic dysfunction.
• Beyond limbic encephalitis, involvement of cortex, basal ganglia, diencephalon, brainstem, and cerebellum should be recognized to narrow the differential diagnosis.

Automated summary

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