Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy‐related Inflammation: American Society of Neuroradiology 2020 Case of the Year

Abstract

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy‐related inflammation (CAARI) presents as a syndrome of acute/subacute encephalopathy. Currently, the underlying etiopathogenesis of this entity is not well established, though the amyloid deposits and resulting perivascular inflammation and cellular infiltrate are said to be the underlying cause. A definitive diagnosis of CAARI may require brain biopsy, which is not often clinically feasible in every case. Furthermore, CAARI does not affect the parenchyma uniformly, and biopsy could be falsely negative at times. When present, the combination of helpful imaging findings and a high index of suspicion may help avoid the morbidity associated with invasive brain biopsy and establish a timely diagnosis. This article describes one of the commonly encountered imaging and clinical presentations of CAARI.