Sandbox mir
Differential diagnosis
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Diseases | History and Physical | Diagnostic tests | Other Findings | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prodromal symptoms | Fever | Headache | LOC | Neuro Onset | Laboratory Findings | Imaging | ||
Rabies infection | + | + | + | + | Insidious | Hydrophobia, aerophobia, dysphagia, and localized pain, weakness or paresthesias | ||
Meningitis | + | + | + | - | Sudden | CSF analysis:
|
Fever, neck, rigidity | |
encephalitis | + | + | Accompany a meningoencephalitis, seizures, hemiparesis, cranial nerve palsies, photophobia, nausea | |||||
Autoimmune encephalitis | - | +/- | + | +/- | Insidious | Memory deficit, dyskinesias, seizures, autonomic instability | ||
CNS abscess | + | + | + | + | Insidious | CSF analysis:
|
MRI is more sensitive and specific | High grade fever, fatigue,nausea, vomiting |
Poliomyelitis | Sudden | PCR of CSF | Asymmetric paralysis following a flu-like syndrome. | |||||
Neurosyphilis | Insidious | CSF VDRL-specifc
CSF FTA-Ab -sensitive |
MRI & Lumbar puncture | History of unprotected sex or multiple sexual partners, and genital ulcer (chancre)
Blindness, confusion, depression, abnormal gait | ||||
Tick paralysis (Dermacentor tick) | + | Insidious | - | - | History of outdoor activity in Northeastern United States. The tick is often still latched to the patient at presentation (often in head and neck area) | |||
Adult Botulism | Sudden | Toxin test, Blood, Wound, or Stool culture | Diplopia, Hyporeflexia, Hypotonia, possible respiratory paralysis, Floppy baby syndrome | |||||
Electrolyte disturbance | Insidious | Electrolyte panel:
↓Ca++, ↓Mg++, ↓K+ |
Possible arrhythmia | |||||
Tetrodotoxin poisoning | Sudden | - | - | History of consumption of puffer fish species. | ||||
Metabolic disturbances (electrolyte imbalance, hypoglycemia) | - | +/- | - | + | Sudden | Hypoglycemia, hypo and hypernatremia, hypo and hyperkalemia | Confusion, seizure, palpitations, sweating, dizziness, hypoglycemia | |
Drug toxicity/Neuroleptic malignant syndrome | - | - | - | + | Causative medications (eg, neuroleptics, antiemetics, concomitant lithium), dopaminergic withdrawal, elevated creatine kinase | |||
Organophosphate toxicity | Sudden | Clinical suspicion confirmed with RBC AchE activity | History of exposure to insecticide or living in farming environment. with : Diarrhea, Urination, Miosis, Bradycardia, Lacrimation, Emesis, Salivation, Sweating | |||||
Ischemic stroke | Sudden | MRI +ve for ischemia or hemorrhage | Sudden unilateral motor and sensory deficit in a patient with a history of atherosclerotic risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, smoking) or atrial fibrillation. | |||||
Hemorrhagic stroke | + | + | Sudden | - | CT scan without contrast | Neck stiffness | ||
Subdural hemorrhage | + | + | Sudden | CSF analysis:
|
CT scan without contrast[1][2] | Confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting | ||
Hypertensive encephalopathy | - | - | + | + | Sudden | - | Delirium, cortical blindness, cerebral edema, seizure | |
Wernicke’s encephalopathy | - | - | - | + | Sudden | - | Ophthalmoplegia, confusion | |
Guillian-Barre syndrome | Insidious | CSF: ↑Protein
↓Cells |
- | Progressive ascending paralysis following infection, possible respiratory paralysis | ||||
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis | Insidious | Normal LP (to rule out DDx) | MRI | Patient initially presents with upper motor neuron deficit (spasticity) followed by lower motor neuron deficit (flaccidity). | ||||
Diffuse glioma | Insidious | GFAP
Normal CSF |
MRI (expansile, T2 hyperintense lesion) | |||||
Primary or secondary central nervous system lymphoma | Insidious | CSF cytology, flow cytometry, and IgH gene rearrangement | MRI (parenchymal or leptomeningeal enhancement) |