Encephalopathy differential diagnosis
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Encephalopathy |
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Diagnosis |
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Treatment |
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Encephalopathy differential diagnosis On the Web |
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American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Encephalopathy differential diagnosis |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Encephalopathy differential diagnosis |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Govindavarjhulla, M.B.B.S. [2]
Overview
Encephalopathy can present in many ways mimicking many other brain conditions. Presentation of most of the brain diseases overlap but the most important part of the physician is to determine the cause of it. Certain conditions like encephalitis, meningitis, tumors, epilepsy, overdosing of certain medications present as encephalopathy.
Differentiating from other symptoms
Most of the symptoms of encephalopathy overlap with other symptoms.
- Infections of brain tissue has features similar to encephalopathy which is termed as encephalitis. Most common cause of encephalitis is infections (mostly viral).
- Inflammation of meninges causes confusion, delirium like symptoms. Features like neck stiffness, infective foci are to looked for, in differentiating from encephalopathy.
- Post ictal states can be interpreted as encephalopathies at times. Few epilepsy syndromes are related to encephalopathies, So careful history and evaluation is required
- Intracranial lesions like tumors, masses, granulomas present with the symptoms of encephalopathy . Appropriate history and investigations helps in differentiating these from one another.