Bilateral symmetrical hypodensities in the thalamus in a child with severe hypernatraemia

Abstract

Received: 17 August 2004 Revised: 6 September 2004 Accepted: 6 September 2004 Published online: 11 March 2005 Springer-Verlag 2005 A 4-month-old boy was admitted with diarrhoea, poor oral intake, vomiting, lethargy and convulsions. Serum electrolyte levels were: sodium 199 mEq/l, potassium 6.3 mEq/l, calcium 7.6 mg/dl, phosphorus 5.2 mg/dl, BUN 47 mg/dl and creatinine 1.1 mg/dl. Brain CT showed bilateral symmetrical hypodensities in the thalami (Fig. 1). He was treated for hypernatraemic dehydration with appropriate IV fluid and electrolyte therapy. His condition deteriorated and he died following cardiac arrest 10 h later.Hypernatraemia is a physiological disturbance defined as a concentration of 150 mmol/l or more of sodium in serum. Important aetiologies in children include gasPediatr Radiol (2005) 35: 449–450 DOI 10.1007/s00247-004-1366-6 CLINICAL IMAGE