Automatic Detection of Brain Abnormalities of the Medial Temporal Lobe(s) Suggestive of Autoimmune Limbic Encephalitis

Diagnostic criteria for possible or definite limbic encephalitis include brain abnormalities of the medial temporal lobe(s) in MRI. Although some objective measures to identify those abnormalities, i.e. swelling of the amygdala/hippocampus or increased signal in the FLAIR scans, are reported, subjective visual inspection of MRI is still clinical standard. Software is developed which analyses segmented T1-weighted and FLAIR MRI scans for hippocampus, amygdala and cerebral cortex volumes and voxel intensities. Per patient, the software checks for significant volumetric deviations and voxel hyperintensities with respect to healthy control averages. From here, the software forms an objective potential limbic encephalitis suspicion.