J Korean Radiol Soc.
1999 Feb;40(2):217-223. 10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.2.217.
Wilson's Disease: Brain MR Findings
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Maryknoll Hospital, Korea.
- KMID: 1832232
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1999.40.2.217
Abstract
- PURPOSE: To analyze the abnormal findings of brain MR imaging seen in Wilson's disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the MR imaging findings (location, signal intensity and contrastenhancement of lesions, and brain atrophy) of nine patients with Wilson's disease confirmed by neurologicalsymptoms, laboratory findings and physical examination. RESULTS: The putamen, midbrain, pons and middlecerebellar peduncle were involved bilaterally and symmetrically in all nine patients, and the thalamus(6/9),corpus callosum(5/9), globus pallidus(3/9), posterior limb of the internal capsule(3/9), superior cerebellarpeduncle(3/9), caudate nucleus head(2/9), subcortical white matter(2/9) and medulla oblongata(1/9) were involvedin decreasing sequence. In all patients, the signal intensity of lesions was low on T1-weighted image and high onproton density- and T2-weighted images. Three patients with contrast enhancement showed no definite enhancement oflesions. Diffuse brain atrophy involving the cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem was found in three patients.CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the characteristic MR findings of Wilson's disease is helpful in differentiating otherdiseases involving similar locations
