Will an mri on brain without contrast show if there is inflammation from meningitis?

Meningitis on MRI: Sometimes it is possible to see thickening of meninges on non contrast mri. However, it is better to have contrast to see enhancement. That said, the definitive test is a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) as an MRI may not always show a meningeal abnormality especially in early disease. And MRI can have false positive if performed after lumbar puncture.

Not necessarily.: Bacterial meningitis is a devastating disease that must be caught early to prevent permanent damage or even death. In the beginning stages the only way to make the diagnosis is with a lumbar puncture commonly called a spinal tap. Neuro imaging studies are useful to monitor for complications such as abscesses and brain swelling and can pick up meningitis later in the disease process.