Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Portable Thermographic Screening for Detection of Acute Wallenberg's Syndrome
Published on: September 19, 2019
Encephalopathy, visual disturbance and hearing loss-recognizing the symptoms of Susac syndrome
Jan Dörr1, Helena Radbruch, Markus Bock
1NeuroCure Clinical Research Center Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Background:
A 23 year-old female presented to a neurology department with a 3 year history of recurrent episodes involving hearing loss, encephalopathy, focal neurological deficits, and visual field deficits. In the 3 years before presentation, the patient had been treated with methylprednisolone for suspected acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis and peripheral otogenic dysfunction from which she made a complete recovery, and for a visual defect in both eyes caused by bilateral branch retinal arterial occlusion, from which she partially improved and commenced long-term treatment with acetylsalicylic acid.
Investigations:
Detailed history, clinical examination, extensive laboratory work-up, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, cerebral and spinal MRI, periventricular single-voxel (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy, retinal fluorescence angiography, optical coherence tomography, audiometry, neurophysiological work-up (EEG, evoked potentials).
Diagnosis:
Susac syndrome, characterized by a combination of encephalopathy, branch retinal artery occlusions, and hearing loss.
Management:
Long-term immunosuppressive treatment with azathioprine (150 mg/day) and prednisolone (10 mg/day), and inhibition of thrombocyte function with acetylsalicylic acid (100 mg/day).
Related Concept Videos
Hepatic Encephalopathy
Seizures l: Introduction
Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis l: Introduction
Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction
Visual Agnosia

