Summary

• Potentially life-threatening condition, with clinical and radiological presentation similar to CNS tumour. Requires early recognition for optimal outcome.
• Lesions may be single or multi-focal. Aetiological agents may be bacterial, fungal, and parasitic.
• Treatments include appropriate antimicrobial agents, support in an intensive care unit, and possible surgical evacuation. Surgery involves either image-guided aspiration or craniotomy with resection of the abscess cavity.
• Patients must be followed up with serial imaging until their lesions have completely resolved.
• Prognosis is most closely related to the patient's neurological status at presentation.