The potential diagnostic value of diffusion-weighted imaging in acute disseminating encephalomyelitis

Acute disseminating encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a treatable inflammatory, demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Early application of steroids has been shown to reduce morbidity, therefore, early diagnosis is highly desirable. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging modality of choice for establishing the diagnosis along with the clinical presentation. The aim of this report is to show the potential diagnostic value of advanced MR techniques such as diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), which has been found to add to the diagnostic power of MRI in the setting of demyelinating disorder, even in the absence of contrast enhancement. We report a case of ADEM in an 11-year-old boy revealing high signal intensity changes on DWI indicating elevated diffusion.