J Korean Radiol Soc.  2008 Jan;58(1):1-7. 10.3348/jkrs.2008.58.1.1.

MR Manifestations of the Brain in Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

• Oh KC
• Byun WM
• Jang HW
• Kim KR

• KMID: 1479141
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.2008.58.1.1

Abstract

PURPOSE: The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the MR findings of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The MR images of 38 patients with SLE were evaluated based on the presence of the following abnormal lesions: the locations of the abnormal signal intensity lesions in the white matter, infarctions, a small vessel vasculopathy, leukoencephalopathy, hemorrhage, abscess, and other lesions.
RESULTS
The MR images showed an abnormality in 22 of 38 (58%) episodes. Abnormal signal intensities were noted in the subcortical and periventricular white matter in six cases, acute territorial infarctions in five cases, multiple small acute embolic infarctions in four cases and a brain abscess in two cases. A reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy was found in one case. In addition, another patient had vasogenic edema with focal central cytotoxic edema at the pons. The entire cerebral and corpus callosum volumes were significantly smaller in four patients with SLE as compared to the volumes in healthy control subjects.
CONCLUSION
SLE may induce variable MR imaging findings of the CNS. Recognition of the variable findings is helpful for easy diagnosis and prompt treatment.

Keyword

Brain diseases; Lupus erythematosus, systemic; Central nervous system; Magnetic resonance (MR)

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Brain
Brain Abscess
Brain Diseases
Central Nervous System
Corpus Callosum
Edema
European Continental Ancestry Group
Glycosaminoglycans
Hemorrhage
Humans
Infarction
Leukoencephalopathies
Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic
Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System
Pons
Glycosaminoglycans