Document Detail


Rheumatoid leptomeningitis: radiological alteration of cerebral hypoperfusion and subarachnoid lesions.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20823656     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
A 56-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis developed emotional lability and myoclonic seizure in the left arm, followed by fever and generalized convulsion. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed leptomeningeal lesions with abnormal enhancement. MRI lesions were localized predominantly in the right cerebral subarachnoid spaces. Electroencephalogram showed epileptogenic focus at the right frontal and central points. After administration of valproate sodium improved convulsion and myoclonus, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using N-isopropyl-p-(123)I-iodoamphetamine was performed. Brain SPECT displayed hypoperfusion predominantly in the right cerebral hemisphere. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) disclosed mild pleocytosis and marked elevations of interleukin-6 levels. Repeated CSF analyses showed cytology of class I and negative results for infectious pathogens. Methylprednisolone pulse therapy (1 g for 3 days, iv) and subsequent prednisolone administration (daily 50 mg, po) ameliorated neurological symptoms dramatically. Prednisolone was tapered to 20 mg/day for 5 months. Leptomeningeal MRI lesions were attenuated gradually followed by restoration of cerebral hypoperfusion on SPECT. He was diagnosed as rheumatoid leptomeningitis (RLM). Although clinical features of RLM exhibited variable deficits of the central nervous system (CNS), MRI failed to detect the corresponding CNS lesions. We first highlighted neuroradiological changes of cerebral hypoperfusion and leptomeningeal lesions in RLM. These neuroimages of our patient supported that leptomeningeal inflammation and the adjacent cerebrocortical ischemia could cause encephalitis-like symptoms in RLM patients.
Authors:
Ken Ikeda; Takanori Takazawa; Hirono Ito; Yuichi Ishikawa; Ken Miura; Yasuhiro Yoshii; Kiyokazu Kawabe; Yasuo Iwasaki
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Case Reports; Journal Article     Date:  2010-09-01
Journal Detail:
Title:  Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan)     Volume:  49     ISSN:  1349-7235     ISO Abbreviation:  Intern. Med.     Publication Date:  2010  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-09-08     Completed Date:  2011-01-04     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9204241     Medline TA:  Intern Med     Country:  Japan    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1911-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Toho University Omori Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan. keni@med.toho-u.ac.jp
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Affective Symptoms / etiology
Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use
Arthritis, Rheumatoid / complications*
Cerebrovascular Circulation
Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Electroencephalography
Epilepsies, Myoclonic / drug therapy,  etiology
Epilepsy, Generalized / drug therapy,  etiology
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Meningitis / etiology*,  pathology,  physiopathology,  radionuclide imaging
Methylprednisolone / therapeutic use
Middle Aged
Prednisolone / therapeutic use
Subarachnoid Space / pathology
Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
Valproic Acid / therapeutic use
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Anticonvulsants; 50-24-8/Prednisolone; 83-43-2/Methylprednisolone; 99-66-1/Valproic Acid

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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