Serial diffusion-weighted MRI in hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome

This report presents a case of hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome. In the acute stage, brain magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated symmetrical hyperintensity on diffusion-weighted images and hypointensity on the apparent diffusion coefficient maps in the subcortical white matter. Whereas the abnormal diffusion-weighted imaging signals of the white matter resolved in the subacute stage, the adjacent gray matter became hyperintense on diffusion-weighted images and hypointense on apparent diffusion coefficient maps. The evolution of diffusion-weighted imaging signals is thus considered to be one of the early findings in hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome.