title: EEG patterns and imaging correlations in encephalopathy: encephalopathy part II.
abstract: The EEG patterns seen with encephalopathies can be correlated to cerebral imaging findings including head computerized tomography and MRI. Background slowing without slow-wave intrusion is seen with acute and chronic cortical impairments that spare subcortical white matter. Subcortical/white matter structural abnormalities or hydrocephalus may produce projected slow-wave activity, while clinical entities involving both cortical and subcortical regions (diffuse cerebral abnormalities) engender both background slowing and slow-wave activity. Triphasic waves are seen with hepatic and renal insufficiency or medication toxicities (e.g., lithium, baclofen) in the absence of a significant cerebral imaging abnormality, Conversely, subcortical/white matter abnormalities may facilitate the appearance of triphasic waves without significant hepatic, renal, or toxic comorbidities. More specific syndromes, such as Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease, autoimmune limbic encephalitis, autoimmune corticosteroid-responsive encephalopathy with thyroid autoimmunity, sepsis-associated encephalopathy, and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, have imaging/EEG changes that are variable but which may include slowing and epileptiform activity. This overview highlighting EEG-imaging correlations may help the treating physician in the diagnosis, and hence the appropriate treatment, of patients with encephalopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. pkaplan@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Andrea O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Rossetti
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D013223:Statistics as Topic