Abstract
The Importance of Brain MRI in the Diagnosis of Marchiafava-Bignami Disease
Highlights
We report a 45 year old man, chronic alcoholic that developed discouragement for activities involving daily living, changes in retrograde memory in addition to mutism and gait instability
Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) is a rare complication related to alcohol abuse and chronic malnutrition which results in demyelination and symmetrical necrosis of the central layer of the corpus callosum [1]
It has been reported that the first change on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is diffuse swelling of the corpus callosum, followed by a genu lesion, and by a splenium lesion, sparing the rostrum [5,6]
Summary
Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) is a rare complication related to alcohol abuse and chronic malnutrition which results in demyelination and symmetrical necrosis of the central layer of the corpus callosum [1]. T1-weighted MRI in the subacute to chronic stage shows hypointense cystic-necrotic lesions in the corpus callosum in addition to callosal atrophy. 45 years old, bus driver and chronic alcoholic According to his wife’s report, in April 2014 he developed changes in executive skills, inattention, gait instability and alteration in memory for spatial layouts(ability to recognize environments learned long time ago). Magnetic resonance imaging of the skull demonstrated atrophy of central portion of the corpus callosum and focus of hypointensity compatible with necrosis, in addition to ventricular dilation. Figure 1a: Coronal flair showing demyelination of corpus callosum and commitment of periventricular white matter Sagital. Figure 1d: Axial flair showing periventricularcommitment of genu and splenium(“Boomerang sign”) in addition to cerebral atrophy
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