Brain MRI and MR Spectroscopy Findings in Children with Nutritional Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Our aim in this study was to analyze the findings of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of children with vitamin B12 deficiency.

This study included 14 cases. The findings of brain MRI and MRS in all cases were investigated. Four patients had been followed up and mean follow-up time 71.8 (59-85) day.

Eight patients of the cases (57 %) had at least one abnormal MRI finding. The most commonly found MRI findings were thinning of the corpus callosum and brain atrophy, respectively. The mean ratio of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were measured in MRS, with values of 1.31 ± 0.17 and 1.04 ± 0.27, respectively. In two of three patients with abnormal MRI studies at presentation, subsequent MRI showed improvement while one patient remained unchanged. An increase in the ratios of metabolites were found in one case with control MRS. There was no lactate peak.

Brain MRI was abnormal in more than half of the cases of children with vitamin B12 deficiency. Our radiologic findings similar with literature. There was no identifiable lactate peak. B12 deficiency could be the cause of the thinning of the corpus callosum and brain atrophy in the children that were given a brain MRI.