Acute leucoencephalopathy with restriction of diffusion-a case report

Abstract

Abstract. Acute white matter insult in a non traumatic, non ischemic background has been recently identified in certain clinical situations. Named toxic leukoencephalopathy, it may be caused by exposure to a wide variety of agents, including cranial irradiation, therapeutic agents, drugs of abuse, and environmental toxins. Extensive central white matter restriction of diffusion in the absence of significant T2 or Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) abnormality is the imaging hallmark on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Reversibility of the symptoms after the withdrawal of toxin has been shown in a few reports. We present one such case with reversal of changes on MRI and clinical improvement. Key words: ADEM, intramyelinic edema, PRES, toxic leukoencephalopathy