West Nile virus: case report with MR imaging findings

We report a case of serologically proved West Nile virus encephalitis. Striking bilateral hyperintensities were noted in the basal ganglia and thalami on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MR images, similar to previous accounts of the imaging findings in cases of Japanese encephalitis. Recognition of the MR imaging appearance of this entity is important because of the expanding epidemic.