Diffuse hemorrhagic septic cerebral emboli complicating infective endocarditis: A radiology case report

Abstract

Neurological complications are frequent in infective endocarditis and significantly impact prognosis. Septic cerebral emboli may result in ischemic or hemorrhagic lesions, often multifocal. We report the case of a 40-year-old patient admitted to the intensive care unit for infective endocarditis who developed impaired consciousness. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated multiple supratentorial and infratentorial hemorrhagic lesions consistent with diffuse septic emboli, associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage and a small subdural hematoma. This case highlights the key role of multiparametric MRI in the diagnosis and assessment of neurological complications of infective endocarditis.