[Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging in iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease]

We describe here the cerebral cerebral magnetic resonance (MRI) abnormalities observed in a case of iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CD).

A 37 year-old man had been treated for pituitary dwarfism during adolescence with contaminated growth hormone. Neurological symptoms nearly two decades later suggested CJD. Cerebral MRI nine months after the onset of symptoms showed hypersignals similar to those observed in variant CJD (pulvinar sign). The diagnosis of CJD was confirmed by post-mortem examination.

To our knowledge, this is the first case in which MRI revealed iatrogenic CD. The aspects are similar to those described for variant CJD.