title: Hypertensive brain stem encephalopathy.
abstract: A 48-year-old man presented with headache and extreme hypertension. Computed tomography showed diffuse brain stem hypodensity. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed diffuse brain stem vasogenic edema. Hypertensive brain stem encephalopathy is an uncommon manifestation of hypertensive encephalopathy, which classically occurs at parietooccipital white matter. Because of its atypical location, the diagnosis can be challenging. Moreover, the coexistence of hypertension and brain stem edema could also direct clinicians toward a diagnosis of ischemic infarction, leading to a completely contradictory treatment goal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine and Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: pyliao100@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pen-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: cclee100@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chien-Chang
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Imaging research center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: sandy0932@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cheng-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001933:Brain Stem; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D020343:Hypertensive Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged