Tape worm in the brain.

If you are a meat-eater who enjoys pork, you really need to be careful about ensuring that the meat is properly cooked.  If not, then you are at risk of contracting neurocysticercosis, the tape worm infection of the brain that can be acquired by eating infected pork. Neurocysticercosis is a serious disease that kills about 10% of the patients who develop the condition.  It is the main cause of acquired epilepsy, i.e. epilepsy that is not caused by genetic or congenital abnormalities. In addition to epilepsy, neurocysticercosis may cause significant permanent cognitive impairment due to brain damage.

The image above is an axial section of a T2 weighted MRI image of tape worm infestation of the brain. Isn’t it spectacular?  This case is particularly severe, incidentally, and is described in detail in the Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine.