Presentation
Cat was obtained from a shelter and has always been small and thin. Decreased activity over the last month with sudden onset of tetraparesis.
Patient Data
There is moderate ventricular dilation. There is a pocket of fluid accumulation at the cerebellomedullary cistern. This fluid pocket is causing ventral spinal cord compression. There is T2 hyperintensity of the cervical spinal cord.
There is marked meningeal enhancement ventrally along the brain stem. There is also rim enhancement of the fluid pocket at the cerebellomedullary cistern.
Impression: The imaging findings are compatible with an abscess at the cerebello-medullary cistern with regional meningitis. Syringohydromyelia of the cranial cervical cord and general dilation of the ventricular system; these changes are likely secondary to the lesion at the cerebello-medullary cistern. The primary differential diagnosis is feline infectious peritonitis.
Case Discussion
CBC showed inflammatory changes, and the CSF had moderate, mixed inflammation (RBC 29, nucleated cells 91). CSF was submitted for feline coronavirus PCR (negative) and CSF and serum were submitted for feline coronavirus antibody titers (positive). These findings were compatible with a diagnosis of central nervous system feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).
CNS FIP is characterized by dilated ventricles and ventricular contrast enhancement with high CSF titers of coronavirus antibody.
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.