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Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease: a case report
Payam Sarraf1, Mahsa Ghajarzadeh2, Babak Salarian3
1Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. sarrafp@gmail.com.
Acta Medica Iranica
|August 19, 2014
Summary
Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD) diagnosis requires evaluating clinical symptoms, EEG, MRI, and CSF analysis. This case highlights key diagnostic findings in a patient with progressive dementia and myoclonic jerks.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Prion Diseases
Background:
- Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal prion disease with diverse clinical presentations.
- Accurate diagnosis of CJD is challenging, necessitating a comprehensive approach integrating clinical, electrophysiological, and imaging data.
Observation:
- A 50-year-old woman presented with cognitive decline, myoclonic jerks, mutism, and dysphagia.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) revealed characteristic bilateral periodic sharp and slow-wave discharges.
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis detected Protein 14-3-3.
Findings:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) demonstrated restricted diffusion and T2/FLAIR hyperintensities in the caudate nucleus and putamen.
- These imaging findings, combined with EEG and CSF biomarkers, are crucial for CJD diagnosis.
Implications:
- Early and accurate diagnosis of CJD is vital for patient management and understanding disease progression.
- This case underscores the importance of utilizing advanced neuroimaging (MRI) and CSF analysis in evaluating progressive dementia.
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