Summary
In a fatal case of central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) a low field strength (0.08 Tesla) magnetic resonance image revealed reduction of image intensity in the pons with sparing of two central symmetrical areas in the ventral portion. The latter correlated with preservation of centrally located groups of longitudinal myelinated nerve fibres shown at autopsy. Although such sparing is well recognised in pathological studies of CPM it has never previously been demonstrated in life.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams RD, Victor M, Mancall EL (1959) Central pontine myelinolysis: a hitherto undescribed disease occurring in alcoholic and malnourished patients. Arch Neurol Psychiatry 81: 154–172
Goebel HH, Herman-Ben Zur P (1976) Central pontine myelinolysis. In: Vinken PJ, Bruyn GW (eds) Handbook of clinical neurology. Vol 28. Amsterdam, North Hodland, pp 285–316
Wright DG, Laureno R, Victor M (1979) Pontine and extra pontine myelinolysis. Brain 102: 361–385
Anderson TL, Moore RA, Grinnell VS, Itabashi HH (1979) Computerised tomography in central pontine myelinolysis. Neurology 29: 1527–30
Telfer RB, Miller EM (1979) Central pontine myelinolysis following hyponatraemia, demonstrated by computerised tomography. Ann Neurol 6: 455–6
Thompson DS, Hutton JT, Stears JC, Sung JH, Norenberg M (1981) Computerised tomography in the diagnosis of central and extrapontine myelinolysis. Arch Neurol 38: 243–6
De Witt LD, Buonmino FS, Kistler JP (1984) Central pontine myelinolysis: demonstration by nuclear magnetic resonance. Neurology 34: 570–576
Pfister HW, Einhaupl KM, Brandt T (1985) Mild central pontine myelinolysis: A frequently undetected syndrome. Eur Arch Psychiatr Neurol Sci 134–139
Richards MA, Webb JAW, Reznek RH, Davies G, Jewell SE, Shand WS, Wrigley PFM, Lister TA (1986) Detection of spread of malignant lymphoma to the liver by low field strength magnetic resonance imaging. Br Med J 293: 1126–1128
Norenberg MD, Leslie KO, Robertson AS (1982) Association between rise in serum sodium and central pontine myelinolysis. Ann Neurol 11: 128–135
Laureno R (1983) Central pontine myelinolysis following rapid correction of hyponatraemia. Ann Neurol 13: 232–42
Thompson PD, Gledhill RF, Quinn NP (1986) Neurological complications associated with parenteral treatment: central pontine myelinolysis and Wernicke's encephalopathy. Br Med J 292: 684–685
Ingram DA, Traub M, Kopelman PG, Summers BA, Swash M (1986) Brainstem auditory evoked responses in diagnosis of central pontine myelinolysis. J Neurol 233: 23–24
Stockard JJ, Rossiter VS, Wiederholt WC, Kobayashi RM (1976) Brainstem auditory evoked responses in suspected central pontine myelinolysis. Arch Neurol 33: 726–728
Lassek AM (1942) The human pyramidal tract IV. A study of the mature, myelinated fibres of the pyramid. J Comp Neurol 76: 217–225
Norenberg MD (1983) A hypothesis of osmatic endothelial injury. A pathogenetic mechanism in central pontine myelinolysis. Arch Neurol 40: 66–69
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thompson, A.J., Brown, M.M., Swash, M. et al. Autopsy validation of MRI in central pontine myelinolysis. Neuroradiology 30, 175–177 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00395621
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00395621