title: Two cases of subacute combined degeneration: magnetic resonance findings.
abstract: We report two cases of subacute combined degeneration. Both patients had undergone total gastrectomy. The chief complaints were numbness in both upper extremities in case 1 and numbness in both the upper and lower extremities and gait disturbance in case 2. The pain, temperature, and vibration senses of both patients were decreased. Laboratory examinations showed macrocytic anemia and a decreased serum vitamin B12 level in both cases. In both cases T2-weighted magnetic resonance images showed an area of hyperintensity in the dorsal columns of the cervical spinal cord. The patients were treated with vitamin B12. The abnormal signals had disappeared on follow-up magnetic resonance examination 1 year later in case 1 and 3 months later in case 2. These patients showed neurological improvement, but the numbness in the upper extremities persisted even after the area of abnormal signal intensity had disappeared in case 1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Nippon Medical School Chiba-Hokusoh Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. okdada@nms.ac.jp
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwako
authors.forename: Hidenobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakajo
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uchiyama
authors.forename: Rinnosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Obo
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yokose
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamamoto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052879:Subacute Combined Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D014805:Vitamin B 12