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Reversible restricted diffusion of entire corpus callosum.
Jun-ichi Takanashi1, Ken-ichi Hirasawa, Hiroko Tada
1Department of Pediatrics, Kameda Medical Center, Kamogawa-shi, Chiba 296-8602, Japan. jtaka@kameda.jp
Journal of the Neurological Sciences
|April 25, 2006
Summary
Bacterial meningoencephalitis can cause reversible brain lesions in the corpus callosum, not just the splenium. These magnetic resonance imaging findings in white matter fully resolved within a week.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Infectious endocarditis can lead to neurological complications, including meningoencephalitis.
- Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring brain inflammation.
- Reversible white matter lesions have been reported, often localized to the corpus callosum splenium.
Observation:
- A 31-year-old man with bacterial meningoencephalitis presented with T2 prolongation and restricted diffusion in the corpus callosum and cerebral white matter.
- Neurological symptoms were mild, with complete recovery within one week.
- Follow-up MR imaging showed complete resolution of the lesions after 9 days.
Findings:
- The observed lesions involved the entire corpus callosum and symmetrically affected the cerebral hemispheric white matter.
- This pattern is similar to previously reported cases but extends beyond the splenium.
- The rapid and complete resolution of extensive white matter lesions is a key radiological finding.
Implications:
- Reversible white matter lesions in meningoencephalitis are not limited to the splenium of the corpus callosum.
- The findings suggest a broader spectrum of reversible MR imaging abnormalities in this condition.
- This expands the understanding of neuroimaging in infectious central nervous system diseases.