Acute haemorrhagic leucoencephalitis with a prolonged clinical course

Two cases of pathologically proven acute haemorrhagic leucoencephalitis with clinical features resembling a cerebral tumour are reported. One patient with a left fronto-parieto-temporal mass showed progressive neurological deterioration leading to death in 3 months. Another patient with a right parieto-temporal mass had mild neurological symptoms for one and a half months before complete recovery except for a seizure disorder, following steroid and decompressive therapy. The cases show that acute haemorrhagic leucoencephalitis may not always be rapidly fatal, but may run a prolonged clinical course with recovery.