A Case of Marchiafava-Bignami Disease with Abnormal SPECT Findings

J Korean Neurol Assoc > Volume 17(5); 1999 > Article

Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 1999;17(5): 757-760.

SPECT상 이상소견을 보인 Marchiafava-Bignami 병 1예

곽규호, 서상일 ·김태일 ·오희종 ·이동국

대구효성가톨릭대학교 의과대학 신경과학교실

A Case of Marchiafava-Bignami Disease with Abnormal SPECT Findings

Kyu Ho Kwak, M.D., Sang Il Seo, M.D., Tae Il Kim, M.D., Hee Jong Oh, M.D., Dong Kuck Lee, M.D.

Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Taegu-Hyosung, Taegu, Korea

Abstract

Marchiafa-Bignami disease(MBD) is a rare complication of chronic alcoholism and is pathologically characterized by a symmetrical primary demyelination of the corpus callosum with or without focal necrosis. The clinical features of the disease are quite variable, and the course is usually progressive and fatal. We present a case with characteristic clin-ical features and imaging findings, including SPECT, of MBD. A 51-year-old man was admitted due to mental confu-sion, violent behavior, and slowness of motion for 2 months. He had been a heavy alcoholic for about 20 years. He was in a stuporous state for 1 week beginning 2 weeks after his admission.. He then showed alertness but was still in a mute state. His cooperation and responses to noxious stimuli were very poor. A brain MRI showed focal cystic change in the enlarged corpus callosum and diffused high-signal intensity in the subcortical white matter, thalamus, and corpus callo-sum in T2WI. 99mTc-ECD SPECT revealed diffusely decreased cerebral perfusion in both frontal, temporal and pari-eto- occipital lobes. J Kor Neurol Ass 17(5):757~760, 1999 Key Words : Marchiafa-Bignami disease, Corpus callosum, Demyelination, MRI, SPECT