Case 351: Thalamic Dementia Secondary to Dural Arteriovenous Fistula

A 76-year-old man with a medical history of diabetes, hypertension, and dilated cardiomyopathy developed new symptoms of confusion, repeated falls, and urinary incontinence over the course of 3-4 months, which worsened over a 2-week period, leading to presentation at the emergency room. His partner reported that before this, he had no memory or movement disorders, but now he was experiencing memory lapses, such as forgetting his mother's recent death, and functional cognitive problems, including an inability to remember how to perform tasks that were previously simple for him, such as dosing his insulin with meals. At presentation, the patient was awake and alert, oriented to his name and location but not to the date. Full neurologic examinations, including of the motor and sensory systems and cranial nerves, were normal. There were no signs of meningism, no fever or leukocytosis, and no history of recent travel. Serum electrolyte panel and thiamine levels were normal, and he had no history of alcohol or drug abuse. Initial evaluation included noncontrast CT of the head, the results of which prompted multiphasic CT angiography of the head including parenchymal phase imaging and admission for observation and monitoring with serial noncontrast CT of the head. The patient's symptoms worsened during his hospital stay. He also developed facial twitching, increased drowsiness, and seizure episodes. He was therefore evaluated with noncontrast MRI of the brain and then digital subtraction angiography with external carotid artery and internal carotid artery contrast agent injections.