| In all patients: |
- Brain MRI, including FLAIR and DWI, with and without gadolinium enhancement
- Serum electrolytes, liver, kidney, and thyroid function tests
- Vitamin B12, homocysteine
- Urinalysis, culture
|
| In most patients: |
- Lumbar puncture, cell count and differential, protein, glucose, syphilis serology
- EEG
|
| In selected patients (based on abnormalities in above tests or suggestive clinical features): |
- CSF
- Cryptococcal antigen
- Bacterial fungal AFB stains and cultures
- Cytology
- Viral PCRs and cultures
- Lyme serology
- 14-3-3 protein
- Paraneoplastic antibodies
- Blood
- Rheumatologic screen (ESR, ANA, CRP)
- Antithyroglobulin, anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies
- HIV
- Lyme
- Paraneoplastic and nonparaneoplastic autoimmune antibodies
- Copper, ceruloplasmin
- Whipple PCR
- Urine copper, heavy metal screen
- Further imaging (angiography, PET, SPECT)
- Brain biopsy
|
August 2025
