Lateralized and focal clinical, EEG, and FLAIR MRI abnormalities in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

OBJECTIVE: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressive fatal prion disorder with typical clinical findings of dementia, motor dysfunction, and myoclonus and characteristic electroencephalographic (EEG) findings of bilateral synchronous periodic sharp waves. Advances in neuroimaging capabilities with diffusion-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have shown promise in the non-invasive diagnosis of CJD. This series illustrates the correlation between the lateralized and focal clinical, EEG, and MRI FLAIR sequence abnormalities in 8 patients (7 men and one woman 55-73 years old) with CJD. METHODS: A case series of 8 patients, evaluated at Mayo Clinic, who had a history of rapidly progressive lateralized or focal neurologic dysfunction and laboratory findings consistent with CJD between 1996 and 1999 were identified. EEG, MRI of the head with FLAIR sequence, and cerebrospinal fluid studies were performed in all patients. RESULTS: Mean time to death from symptom onset was 4 months. Symptoms were lateralized to the left hemisphere in 5 patients and to the right hemisphere in two. One patient showed bilateral occipital lobe involvement. In all patients, the EEG showed lateralized or focal periodic sharp waves that colocalized with clinical cerebral dysfunction. FLAIR MRI images revealed increased signal in the cortical ribbon and deep gray matter corresponding to the lateralized clinical and EEG findings in 7 patients. The other patient had bilateral occipital increased signal on FLAIR MRI. CONCLUSIONS: CJD may present with lateralized or focal cortical syndromes with colocalizing EEG and MRI findings. With the appropriate clinical history and laboratory evaluation, the corresponding areas of increased signal on FLAIR MRI provide supportive evidence of the disease. SIGNIFICANCE: CJD can sometimes present with more focal or lateralized clinical findings, and the colocalizing EEG and MRI findings can help make or confirm the diagnosis of CJD.     

MRI Detection of the Cerebellar Syndrome in Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease

Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease (CJD) is characterized by bilateral basal ganglia hyperintensities on T2W and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, consistent with its extrapyramidal neurological manifestations. MRI is diagnostically uninformative about the cerebellar symptoms, equally prominent in CJD. This study was undertaken to explain this apparent paradox. Eleven CJD patients with definite cerebellar or brain stem symptoms were selected from a large prospective study, as well as 11 healthy controls matched for age and gender. All subjects participated in a standardized MRI protocol, including SPGR, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), DWI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). All subjects underwent detailed examination by a neurologist blinded to the radiological findings, who predicted the expected site of cerebral abnormalities. MRI showed good sensitivity for the abnormalities predicted in the cortex (80–90%) and basal ganglia (100%). None of the standard MRI sequences, including DWI, DTI, and FLAIR, revealed any tissue abnormalities in cerebellum or brain stem. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values, however, were substantially and significantly elevated in several cerebellar structures, where also the volumetric (VBM) analysis revealed elevated cerebrospinal fluid volume, suggesting focal cerebellar atrophy in these CJD patients. In patients with CJD, DWI appears sensitive to the reduced diffusivity in cortex and basal ganglia but insensitive to cerebellar involvement. We propose that the radiological hallmark of cerebellar pathology in CJD is atrophy, revealed quantitatively by both VBM and elevated diffusivity, which is identifiable on ADC maps but poorly visualized in nonquantitative DWI images.     

散发型克雅病7例患者的临床、脑电图及影像学分析

目的 探讨散发型克雅病(sCJD)的临床、脑电图及影像学特点。方法 回顾性分析7例散发型克雅病患者的临床表现、脑电图、影像学特点。结果 本组亚急性起病5例,慢性起病2例,主要的临床症状和体征有进行性痴呆、精神行为异常、视觉障碍、头晕、共济失调、肌阵挛、言语笨拙、锥体外系症状和锥体束征等; EEG检查均有异常,其中6例脑电图检查示典型的周期性三相波发放,1例患者入院脑电图检查未见异常波发放,1月后复查脑电图发现周期性三相波; 7例均行颅脑MRI检查,T₂加权序列(T₂WI)、液体衰减反转恢复序列(T₂ FLAIR)及弥散加权成像(DWI)在皮质、尾状核、壳核等发现异常高信号,其中1例在DWI像上发现随着疾病进展尾状核、壳核、皮层信号先明显增高,后稍微下降; 6例行脑脊液14-3-3蛋白检测,其中4例为阳性,2例为阴性。结论 临床上对快速进展型痴呆的患者,应考虑克雅病的可能,尽早行脑电图、颅脑MRI以及脑脊液14-3-3蛋白检测有助于临床早期诊断; 脑电图、颅脑MRI在疾病早期可无典型改变,则应短期内复查,动态观察。     

Asymmetric Neuroimaging in Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: A Ruse

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) causes diffuse neurological symptoms, but asymmetric lesions have been found on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Less often, position emission tomography (PET) scanning can also reveal asymmetric lesions in patients with CJD. Such imaging may mislead clinicians. The authors present a case of a woman with CJD who was diagnosed as having suffered a stroke because she had asymmetric T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) MRI abnormalities that were interpreted as a stroke. It was noted that the patient had clinical features consistent with CJD, including rapidly progressive dementia, myoclonus, cerebellar dysfunction, and pyramidal and extrapyramidal signs. This diagnosis was supported by periodic epileptiform discharges on the electroencephalogram (EEG) and by elevated 14-3-3 protein in the cerebrospinal fluid. MRI T2WI and DWI showed dramatically asymmetric abnormalities involving the left cortex. A PET study found decreased metabolism in the left cerebral and right cerebellar hemispheres. The patient's clinical, EEG, and laboratory data were all consistent with CJD, not other diseases, but the MRI and PET had atypical, asymmetric findings. This case demonstrates that CJD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with rapidly progressive neurological decline, even if they have asymmetric imaging findings.     

Diffusion‐Weighted MRI in Creutzfeldt‐Jakob Disease: A Better Diagnostic Marker Than CSF Protein 14‐3‐3?

Two middle-aged patients presented with rapidly progressive dementia and ataxia, nonspecific electroencephalography findings, and negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein 14-3-3. Both patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans that demonstrated abnormalities on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences, and both were later confirmed to have Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. (CJD) by tissue examination. Because a recent position paper from the American Academy of Neurology characterized CSF protein 14-3-3 as a gold standard for clinically diagnosing CJD, the authors reviewed studies of CJD in which DWI-MRI imaging and CSF protein 14-3-3 studies were both performed. Among 19 reported cases of CJD with DWI-MRI lesions, CSF protein 14-3-3 was negative in 6 cases and positive in 2 others. The authors' findings suggest that multifocal cortical and subcortical hyperintensities confined to gray matter regions in DWI-MRI may be a more useful noninvasive diagnostic marker for CJD than CSF protein 14-3-3. These observations provide a compelling rationale for a prospective comparative study.     

MRI sequence findings in sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

MRI has had an important role in the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD). The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy of different MRI sequences among six biopsy-proven patients with sporadic CJD (sCJD) and seven patients with probable sCJD. These 13 patients with CJD aged from 36 years to 75 years (mean age: 55.5 years) were evaluated with T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). The characteristic MRI lesion pattern was found to be bilateral, symmetric and hyperintense signal changes in the basal ganglia and cortical regions. Two major lesion patterns were identified in all patients involving the cortex and basal ganglia. No signal abnormality was found in the thalamus. We found lesions in the cortex and basal ganglia in 7/13 patients (54%), isolated cortical involvement in 2/13 patients (15%), and isolated basal ganglia lesions in 4/13 patients (31%). The cortical involvement was widespread (in at least two regions) and usually included the frontal or occipital lobes (9/13, 69%) on DWI. Only one patient showed moderate high-signal intensity in the basal ganglia on T2-weighted MRI. T1-weighted MRI revealed no signal intensity abnormalities. We conclude that high signal changes in the basal ganglia and cerebral cortex on FLAIR and DWI are useful in the diagnosis of sCJD. Isolated cortical involvement on DWI and FLAIR should lead to a suspicion of CJD. DWI is the most sensitive MRI technique in the diagnosis of CJD, which supports an amendment to the clinical diagnostic criteria for sCJD to include findings from MRI.     

Creutzfeldt-Jakob病脑脊液14-3-3蛋白变化特征及其影响因素分析

目的分析47例临床可能或很可能克雅氏病(CJD)患者的脑脊液(CSF)14-3-3蛋白特征,为CJD早期临床评估及诊断提供参考。方法收集2013年1月至2016年1月以"可疑CJD"诊断在首都医科大学宣武医院住院的患者,对其一般资料及CSF 14-3-3蛋白特征进行分析。比较CSF 14-3-3蛋白阳性组与阴性组年龄、病程、临床表现及脑电图(EEG)、磁共振(MRI)的特点,并采用Spearman法分析CJD患者CSF 14-3-3蛋白与年龄、病程、MRI、EEG及临床表现的相关性。结果 47例患者中有46例患者进行了腰椎穿刺并送检CSF 14-3-3蛋白,其中有5例既往CSF 14-3-3蛋白检查为阴性者在复查后结果转为阳性,由阴性转为阳性时间为1~3个月。最终CSF 14-3-3蛋白阳性的患者占58.70%(27/46),14-3-3蛋白阳性组锥体束(P=0.015)、小脑症状(P=0.012)和视力障碍(P=0.044)均高于阴性组,仅磁共振(MRI)阳性率阳性组低于阴性组(P=0.025),且Spearman法相关性分析显示CJD患者CSF 14-3-3蛋白与锥体束(P=0.029)、视力障碍(P=0.039)及MRI(P=0.006)相关。结论 1 CSF 14-3-3蛋白含量可能与锥体束、小脑症状等运动系统及视力损害有关系,可间接反应CJD患者大脑神经细胞的功能状态;2 CSF 14-3-3蛋白为CJD早期诊断提供参考依据之一,CSF14-3-3蛋白含量随病情进展发生变化,对于首次检查阴性的患者实际工作中要注意复查,以免漏诊。     

Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in phenylketonuria

To investigate the correlation between the abnormalities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain and blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels in phenylketonuria (PKU) and hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA), we reviewed MRIs from 16 patients with early treated PKU and HPA. Their ages ranged from 4-24 years and were found by mass screening and treated from early infancy, and 5 patients with late detected PKU who were aged 24-33 years. The former patients had no remarkable neurological signs or symptoms. One patient of the latter had severe mental retardation and 3 patients had mild to border mental retardation. Axial T1-weighted and T2-weighted spin echo sequences, fluid attenuated inversion recovery MR sequences (FLAIR) through the brain were performed. The scans were graded according to the extent of increased signal intensity of white matter on T2-weighted and FLAIR sequences. To investigate the influence of plasma Phe levels, three approaches were used. Firstly an average of all yearly serial blood Phe concentration was calculated for each patient, then Phe was determined for a period of 6 months and 12 months prior to MRI, and also for their lifetime up to their age at the time this study began. These average blood Phe levels were classified into four categories: group A:Phe level below 5 mg/dl, group B:5-8 mg/dl, group C:9-12 mg/dl, group D:above 12 mg/dl. MRI findings were not significant in group A. Remarkable high signals of white matter were obtained in group C and D, except for one patient in group D whose MRI finding was normal. MRI findings correlated to long-term dietary control stronger than those of 6 months prior to MRI. The clinical significance of MRI abnormalities is still unclear, and further study is required to clarify the relationship of the MRI findings and clinical conditions.     

Sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease without dementia at onset: clinical features,laboratory tests and sequential diffusion MRI (in an autopsy–proven case)

Abstract. A rapidly progressing dementia, followed by focal neurological signs, and evidence of periodic sharp wave complexes (PSWC) in the EEG may lead to the clinical suspicion of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD). Different clinical variants of CJD have been described in the past, with prominent extrapyramidal or occipital lobe involvement, all included in the sporadic form of CJD (sCJD). Familiar and iatrogenic forms of CJD are also known. More recently a new variant has been described, vCJD [1], casually linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and it has attracted increasing attention toward each form of rapidly progressing dementia; likewise the differential diagnosis between sCJD vs. vCJD is not always easy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) too seems to have a peculiar role in differentiating sCJD from vCJD, even if the role of MRI in the diagnosis of CJD is still debated. Diffusion MRI is expected to play an important role in the clinical setting of CJD, contributing to formulation of an early diagnosis, especially in cases with unusual clinical presentation. In fact, the sensitivity of diffusion MRI is superior to that of conventional MRI (T1, T2, FLAIR) in detecting specific basal ganglia and cortical abnormalities early in the course of CJD [2] and these abnormalities correlate well with areas of the most severe and characteristic neuropathological changes [3]. We describe a case of autopsy–proven sCJD, with an unusual clinical course without dementia as a presenting symptom and discuss the role of diffusion MRI and laboratory tests in making an early diagnosis.     

Heidenhain Variant of Creutzfeldtjakob Disease: Diffusion-Weighted MRI and PET Characteristics

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is characterized by rapidly progressive dementia with a variety of neurological disorders and a fatal outcome. The authors present a case with visual disturbance as a leading symptom and rapid deterioration in global cognitive functions. The cerebrospinal fluid was positive for 14-3-3 protein, and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed marked hyperintensity in the parieto-occipital cortices, where hypometabolism was clearly detected on positron emission tomography (PET). Pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials showed prolonged P100 latencies and increased N/5/P100 amplitudes. All these findings supported a diagnosis of the Heidenhain variant of CJD, whereas a long clinical course, a lack of myoclonus, and an absence of periodic synchronous discharges on electroencephalography were atypical. Diffusion-weighted MRI and PE1 in combination with visual evoked potential recording and 14-3-3 protein detection may be useful for the early diagnosis of CJD.     

Yield of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery in drug-resistant focal epilepsy with noninformative conventional magnetic resonance imaging

PURPOSE: To determine the role in presurgical assessment and evaluate the yield of fast fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences for patients with intractable partial epilepsy for whom conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was normal. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty patients were selected. Conventional MRI including spin echo T1-weighted sagittal images and fast spin echo T2-weighted axial images was normal in 33 patients and showed noninformative lesions in 7. Fast FLAIR and T2-weighted sequences were performed perpendicularly to the hippocampal long axis. RESULTS: Additional abnormalities were found in 40%. They were correlated with electroclinical data in 13 patients (32.5%) and not correlated or doubtful in 3 (7.5%). CONCLUSION: Fast FLAIR sequences brought congruent additional information in 32.5% cases and seemed useful in presurgical evaluation.     

Correlation of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging with neuropathology in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

BACKGROUND: Although the diagnosis of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (CJD) is straightforward in fully developed cases, a definitive diagnosis can be difficult early in the course of the illness. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal abnormalities, and recently, diffusion-weighted MRI abnormalities, have been described in patients with CJD, suggesting the utility of MRI in the early recognition of CJD. OBJECTIVE: To correlate diffusion-weighted MRI signal abnormalities with neuropathologic changes in CJD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diffusion-weighted MRI and neuropathologic changes of 2 patients with autopsy-proven CJD were examined in a blinded fashion by a neuroradiologist and a neuropathologist. RESULTS: Areas of bright signal on diffusion-weighted MRI correlated with a higher degree of spongiform changes. CONCLUSION: Diffusion-weighted MRI in CJD demonstrates specific-signal abnormalities that correlate well with areas of the most severe and characteristic neuropathologic changes.     

Abnormal diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

BACKGROUND: Traditional imaging methods, including computed tomography, routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, have not been particularly useful in the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Although abnormalities can be seen using these methods, the findings are evident only late in the disease or lack specificity or sensitivity. OBJECTIVE: To describe abnormalities on diffusion-weighted MRIs in 4 patients with proven CJD. METHODS: Diffusion-weighted MRIs were obtained on 4 patients with CJD as part of a routine MRI brain examination. RESULTS: In all 4 patients, diffusion-weighted MRIs of the brain demonstrated bilateral hyperintensity in the basal ganglia. In 1 patient, the most conspicuous abnormality seen in diffusion-weighted images was in the thalamus. Two patients also demonstrated hyperintensity in the cerebral cortex on diffusion-weighted images. Only 2 of 4 patients demonstrated clear abnormalities on routine (non-diffusion-weighted) MRIs. Diffusion abnormalities were visible in 1 patient within 1 month of symptom onset. The findings were most conspicuous and extensive in the patient with the longest duration of symptoms (7 months). CONCLUSIONS: Diffusion-weighted MRI might provide a noninvasive method of identifying patients with CJD. However, further investigations must be performed to determine the specificity of these findings for CJD.     

视神经脊髓炎脑部病灶的影像学特征及临床表现

目的 探讨视神经脊髓炎(NMO)脑部病灶的影像学特征及主要临床表现.方法 回顾性分析南京医科大学附属脑科医院神经内科自2002年1月至2008年5月收治的19例NMO患者脑部MRI检查结果及相关病史资料.结果 本组19例患者中15例行头颅MRI检查,7例发现脑部病灶;病变累及大脑半球3例,丘脑2例,下丘脑1例,第三脑室和中脑导水管周边1例,中脑1例,桥脑1例,延髓2例;MRI上病灶为点状、斑片状或线样,呈T1低信号、T2和FLAIR高信号改变.临床表现恶心、呕吐、呃逆、复视、眼震、面部麻木、认知功能障碍及嗜睡等.结论 NMO可出现不同部位脑部病灶,以脑室管膜周边和下丘脑处病灶具有疾病特征性.部分NMO患者出现脑部受累表现,少数患者以脑部症状为首发临床事件.     

Diffusion-weighted MRI in familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with the codon 200 mutation in the prion protein gene

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been reported to be a useful tool for early diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). We report MRI findings with DWI, as well as with fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), in a case of familial CJD with a mutation at codon 200 of the prion protein gene. DWI in this patient showed high signal intensity in the basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex, similar to findings in sporadic CJD. In addition, T1WI showed areas of high signal intensity bilaterally in the globus pallidus. Despite the clinical diversity and atypical laboratory findings seen in familial CJD with the codon 200 mutation, these neuroimaging studies suggest that common regional distributions and a common pathogenesis might underlie the clinical progression both in sporadic CJD and in familial CJD with the codon 200 mutation in the prion protein gene. DWI abnormalities may be characteristic features that should be considered in the diagnosis of familial as well as of sporadic CJD.     

散发型Creutzfeldt-Jakob病的临床、病理及头颅核磁DWI影像特点研究

目的 探讨散发型Creutzfeldt-Jakob病（sCJD）的临床、病理、头颅核磁影像学特点和内在关系，分析弥散加权成像（DWI）的诊断价值。方法 对3例sCJD患者的临床特征、病理改变和头颅核磁DWI异常信号进行分析。结果 3例患者DWI病变主要分布于皮层及纹状体。皮层异常信号首先出现与临床先有智能下降符合。DWI对于早期发现特异的皮层和基底节高信号优于传统核磁的T1WI、T2WI及FLAIR技术。DWI异常发现早于典型脑电图改变。在DWI异常信号显著部位所取活检组织病理改变显著。在DWI提示下，早期行脑活检可明显缩短确诊时间。结论 头颅核磁DWI技术可早期发现皮层及基底节异常信号，具有无创、快捷优点，有助于sCJD早期诊治。     

Sporadic MM2‐thalamic + cortical Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease: Utility of diffusion tensor imaging in the detection of cortical involvement in vivo

In sporadic Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (sCJD), high signal intensity in fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) sequences in striatum and/or cortical regions of the brain are present in about 83% of cases, reflecting tissue damage, such as spongiform change and abnormal prion protein deposits. Novel diffusion sequences of MRI might improve the detection of CJD characteristic changes in the subset of patients in whom these alterations are absent or less evident. We report a neuropathologically confirmed case of the rare MM2 T + C subtype of sCJD, with mixed clinical and neuropathological features of MM2 thalamic and MM2 cortical subtypes, in whom the use of diffusion tensor imaging helped to identify cortical hyperintensities that could be easily overlooked with conventional DWI.     

Conventional magnetic resonance imaging features in patients with tropical spastic paraparesis

Conventional brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance images were performed in 21 patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis, to assess the role of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the disease diagnosis. These patients had no other central nervous system conditions or related risk factors at the time of tropical spastic paraparesis diagnosis. Eleven (52.4%) patients showed nonspecific brain abnormalities on T2-weighted images. The majority (77.2%) of brain abnormalities were located in the deep white matter. A transient contrast-enhancing lesion was identified in the brain of only one patient. In the brain of another patient, 9.0% of the T2-hyperintense lesion load was hypointense on the correspondent T1-weighted images. No differences in terms of demographic, biological, or clinical variables were present between patients with abnormal brain images and those with normal brain magnetic resonance images. Spinal cord T2-weighted images were abnormal in three (14.3%) patients. In one of these three patients, a diffuse but transient edema was found along the entire tract of the spinal cord. White matter lesions were present in the central nervous system of 60% of the cases in this study. However, no correlations between magnetic resonance imaging and clinical findings, and no specificity of lesions were observed. Hence, conventional magnetic resonance imaging is a sensitive but not highly specific tool for diagnosis of tropical spastic paraparesis.     

Non-paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis characterized by mesio-temporal seizures and extratemporal lesions: A case report

Limbic encephalitis (LE) can be either paraneoplastic or a non-paraneoplastic autoimmune disorder. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain on T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) classically shows hyperintensities of the temporal structures, but multifocal involvement of extratemporal cortex has also been described in paraneoplastic LE. Here we describe a 27-year-old woman whose idiopathic autoimmune (glutamic acid decarboxylase-antibody positive) LE debuted with multiple daily mesio-temporal seizures, amnesia and multifocal extratemporal cortical MRI abnormalities. Mesio-temporal MRI signal increase was found after 20 days. This case report highlights that early diagnosis of non-paraneoplastic LE may be considered in patients with multiple daily mesio-temporal seizures and amnesia even in the absence of early typical MRI abnormalities.     

An autopsy case of panencephalopathic type of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: an early clinical sign documented by magnetic resonance imaging

We reported an autopsy case of panencephalopathic type of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), one of whose early clinical signs, visual loss, had been documented by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The patient was a 59-year-old woman, who showed disturbance of visual acuity, memory and calculation at the early stage. About 2 months later she developed apallic syndrome and revealed myoclonic jerks in her eye balls, face, neck and extremities. Electroencephalography showed periodic synchronous discharge. Three months later after her first symptoms MR showed bilateral occipital atrophy, although we could find no brain atrophy on CT scan. She died of the suffocation caused by bronchopneumonia at the age of 60 years. The total duration of her illness was about 20 months. Neuropathological examination revealed a pronounced diffuse atrophy of the cerebral cortex and white matter. In addition to severe cortical neuronal loss and astrocytosis, spongiform changes were evident. The hippocampus was relatively well preserved. In the cerebral white matter both myelin sheaths and axons disappeared almost completely. The cerebellum showed the severe degeneration of granule cells. These neuropathological findings are consistent with those of panencephalopathic type of CJD. It is important to clarify the abnormalities of MR findings in relation to such early clinical signs of CJD. To the best of our knowledge such reports as ours have not been published previously.