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MR diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: significance of high signal intensity of the basal ganglia.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Barboriak, DP; Provenzale, JM; Boyko, OB
Published in: AJR Am J Roentgenol
January 1994

OBJECTIVE: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare dementing illness that usually affects older adults. Currently, neuroradiologic examinations play a minor role in the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Several single case reports have noted a distinctive finding of hyperintense signal abnormalities in the basal ganglia on T2-weighted MR images of patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In order to assess the diagnostic utility of this finding, we studied the imaging features of four patients with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in whom this MR finding was present. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two neuroradiologists retrospectively reviewed the MR images of four patients who had pathologically proved Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and signal abnormalities in the basal ganglia on T2-weighted MR images. The patients' clinical findings were also analyzed. RESULTS: The four patients had MR examinations between 6 months and 1 year after the onset of symptoms. In all four cases, the hyperintense signal abnormalities in the basal ganglia on T2-weighted images were diffuse and bilaterally symmetric. The T1-weighted images were normal. A CT scan was obtained on a single patient and was normal. CONCLUSION: Although a lack of signal abnormality in the basal ganglia on MR imaging cannot be used to rule out a diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, our experience and review of published reports suggest that in the proper clinical setting, bilaterally symmetric, diffuse hyperintense abnormalities in the basal ganglia on T2-weighted images may be a specific sign of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Duke Scholars

Published In

AJR Am J Roentgenol

DOI

ISSN

0361-803X

Publication Date

January 1994

Volume

162

Issue

1

Start / End Page

137 / 140

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Retrospective Studies
  • Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome
  • Basal Ganglia
  • Aged
 

Citation

APA
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ICMJE
MLA
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Barboriak, D. P., Provenzale, J. M., & Boyko, O. B. (1994). MR diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: significance of high signal intensity of the basal ganglia. AJR Am J Roentgenol, 162(1), 137–140. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.162.1.8273652
Barboriak, D. P., J. M. Provenzale, and O. B. Boyko. “MR diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: significance of high signal intensity of the basal ganglia.AJR Am J Roentgenol 162, no. 1 (January 1994): 137–40. https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.162.1.8273652.
Barboriak DP, Provenzale JM, Boyko OB. MR diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: significance of high signal intensity of the basal ganglia. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1994 Jan;162(1):137–40.
Barboriak, D. P., et al. “MR diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: significance of high signal intensity of the basal ganglia.AJR Am J Roentgenol, vol. 162, no. 1, Jan. 1994, pp. 137–40. Pubmed, doi:10.2214/ajr.162.1.8273652.
Barboriak DP, Provenzale JM, Boyko OB. MR diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: significance of high signal intensity of the basal ganglia. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1994 Jan;162(1):137–140.

Published In

AJR Am J Roentgenol

DOI

ISSN

0361-803X

Publication Date

January 1994

Volume

162

Issue

1

Start / End Page

137 / 140

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Retrospective Studies
  • Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome
  • Basal Ganglia
  • Aged