Posterior cortical atrophy: correlation between clinical, neuropsychological, magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography Imaging

Abstract

Background Posterior cortical atrophy is a rare syndrome and considered to be a spectrum of Alzheimer’s disease. Cases of corticobasal degeneration, dementia with Lewy Body, and prion diseases, such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, have also been described with such a syndrome. Despite the similar pathological findings seen in Alzheimer’s disease, patients with posterior cortical atrophy present with prominent visuoperceptual impairment which is disproportional to impairment in other cognitive domains. Frequently, these patients are initially seen in ophthalmology clinics due to their visual complaints, and often the diagnosis is delayed. Recently, Positron Emission Tomography based on the identification of amyloid burden in the brain gained momentum as a diagnostic imaging option in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Here we present a case of a 79 year old woman with a visual disturbance, and contrast her clinical presentation with neuropsychological testing and Magnetic Resonance and Positron Emission Tomography imaging to demonstrate the utility of diagnostic tools in patients with a presumed diagnosis of posterior cortical atrophy.