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Published on: September 22, 2012
[Cerebellar and brainstem hypoperfusion in Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis: a case report]
Koji Yoshida1, Hideo Terasawa1, Hirotaka Shimizu1
1Department of Neurology, Hyogo Brain and Heart Center.
Rinsho Shinkeigaku = Clinical Neurology
|October 2, 2018
Summary
Bickerstaff
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Immunology
Background:
- Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder.
- It is characterized by acute onset of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and altered consciousness.
Observation:
- A 16-year-old male presented with gastrointestinal symptoms followed by fever, headache, and coma.
- Clinical symptoms resolved with immunotherapy, but ophthalmoplegia and ataxia emerged during recovery.
Findings:
- High titers of anti-GQ1b IgG autoantibodies confirmed BBE diagnosis.
- Brain 123I-IMP SPECT revealed reversible hypoperfusion in the brainstem and cerebellum.
Implications:
- This case highlights the diagnostic utility of anti-GQ1b antibodies in BBE.
- SPECT findings suggest reversible brainstem and cerebellar dysfunction in BBE.
Keywords:
Bickerstaff’s brainstem encephalitisbrain perfusion SPECTbrainstemcerebellumconscious disturbanceMore Related Videos
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