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Marchiafava-Bignami disease with recovery diagnosed by CT and MRI: demyelination affects several CNS structures

Journal of Neurology volume 236, pages 364–366 (1989)Cite this article

Summary

Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) is a rare complication of chronic alcoholism. Most reported cases have been diagnosed at autopsy. With CT and, especially, MRI it is possible to diagnose MBD in its early stages. Lesions of CNS structures other than the typical demyelination of the corpus callosum are described ante mortem in a patient with MBD. The more frequent use of CT and MRI in sudden onset encephalopathies of alcoholics could reveal the real incidence of MBD, and the consequent detection of other involved CNS systems might improve our knowledge about the aetiology, pathogenesis, prognosis and therapy of MBD.

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Affiliations

  1. Abteilungen für Neurologie, Klinikum der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Niemannsweg 147, D-2300, Kiel, Germany

    R. Baron & K. Heuser

  2. Abteilungen für Radiologie, Klinikum der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Strasse 9, D-2300, Kiel, Germany

    G. Marioth

Authors
  1. R. Baron
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  2. K. Heuser
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  3. G. Marioth
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Baron, R., Heuser, K. & Marioth, G. Marchiafava-Bignami disease with recovery diagnosed by CT and MRI: demyelination affects several CNS structures. J Neurol 236, 364–366 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314384

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00314384

Key words

  • Marchiafava-Bignami disease
  • corpus callosum
  • CT
  • MRI