Work

MRI in acute Wernicke’s encephalopathy

Year: 2003

Type: article

Abstract: A 26-year-old woman presented with a 4-day history of progressive lateral ophthalmoplegia, inability to stand, gait ataxia, apathy, and confusion after 3 months of intractable postgastroplasty hyperemesis. 1 The diagnosis of acute Wernicke encephalopathy was consistent with characteristic changes seen on her admission MRI (figure 1, A and B). 2 Three hours after initiating thiamine, her lateral gaze returned, Romberg test was negative, and cognition improved dramatically.Her clinical improvement was correlated with normalization of hyperintense T2 MRI signals 5 days later (figure 1, C and D).This dramatic turnaround underscores the necessity of thiamine in acute Wernicke encephalopathy.

Source: Neurology

DOI: 10.1212/wnl.61.4.527

Authors: W.D. Watson, A. Verma, M.J. Lenart, T.M. Quast, S.J. Gauerke, G.J. McKenna

Institution: Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Alcoholism and Thiamine Deficiency

Subfield: Neurology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

OpenAlex ID: W2162183317