Blood-brain-barrier disruption in acute Wernicke encephalopathy: MR findings.
The clinical and MR features of an alcoholic woman with Wernicke encephalopathy are reported. During the acute stage Gd-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid enhanced MR revealed damage of the blood-brain barrier bilaterally and symmetrically adjacent to the third ventricle, cerebral aqueduct, and fourth ventricle. The enhancement disappeared after successful thiamine therapy, as demonstrated in a repeat postcontrast MR 1 week later.
Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital, Zürich, Switzerland.
G
G
Schroth
W
W
Wichmann
A
A
Valavanis
D000328:Adult; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001928:Brain Diseases, Metabolic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D013831:Thiamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014899:Wernicke Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D013831:Thiamine