Neuromyelitis optica preceded by brain demyelinating episode.
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is considered a distinct disease from multiple sclerosis (MS) because of its pathogenesis. It is well accepted that NMO selectively affects the spinal cord and optic nerve and is not associated with brain lesions at the onset of the disease, unlike MS. We present a unique case where the patient's initial lesion was in the brain, and optic neuritis and myelitis were revealed 6 years after the brain lesion. In addition, the patient's serum antiaquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody was positive. We consider the brain lesion to precede abnormal lesion of NMO, and the AQP4 measurement is important for diagnostics, even if it occurs with brain lesions.
Amemiya
Shimon
S
Division of Neurology, Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. amemiya@nms.ac.jp
Hamamoto
Makoto
M
Kumagai
Tomoaki
T
Ueda
Masayuki
M
Katayama
Yasuo
Y
Tanaka
Keiko
K
D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D051401:Aquaporin 4