title: Magnetic resonance imaging findings in probable Creutzfeld-Jacob disease: comparison with electroencephalography and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Creutzfeld-Jacob disease (CJD) is a rare, progressive disease that has a vast clinical manifestation range. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalography (EEG), and measurement of 14-3-3 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may offer a pragmatic approach in the diagnosis of CJD as an alternative to histopathological confirmation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To present the symptoms and signs of the CJD patients in regard to radiological and neurophysiological findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected all cases with the diagnosis of probable CJD admitted to our neurology department between June 2010 and June 2014. The medical records and laboratory data, clinical features, results of MRI (including diffusion weighted images), EEG and CSF evaluations, and other laboratory data to exclude other possible diagnoses were recorded. None of the patients underwent biopsy or autopsy for histological diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 20 patients, 11 (55%) were men and nine (45%) were women. The mean age at disease onset was 60.0 ± 9.5 years (age range, 47-80 years). All patients without exception had characteristic abnormalities in DWI and/or FLAIR on admission, about 4 months after the initial symptom. Periodic complexes on EEGs characteristic for CJD were detected only in 10 patients (50%) on admission and in 13 patients (65%) during disease course. Out of 14 patients who underwent CSF examination, 11 (78.5%) were positive for 14-3-3 protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the definite diagnosis of CJD is made histopathologically, we aimed to discuss the value of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of CJD in respect to EEG findings and protein 14-3-3 levels in CSF.
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Sleep Disorders Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bozluolcay
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Sleep Disorders Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayse D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Elmali
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Sleep Disorders Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sukriye F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Menku
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Sleep Disorders Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zeydan
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Sleep Disorders Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulcin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Benbir
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Sleep Disorders Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sakir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Delil
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Sleep Disorders Unit, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Naz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yeni
keywords: Creutzfeld-Jacob disease; cerebrospinal fluid examination; electroencephalography; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); protein 14-3-3