Uremic Encephalopathy: MR Imaging Findings and Clinical Correlation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Uremic encephalopathy is a metabolic disorder in patients with renal failure. The purpose of this study was to describe the MR imaging findings of uremic encephalopathy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study retrospectively reviewed MR imaging findings in 10 patients with clinically proved uremic encephalopathy between May 2005 and December 2014. Parameters evaluated were lesion location and appearance; MR signal intensity of the lesions on T1WI, T2WI, and T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images; the presence or absence of restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted images and apparent diffusion coefficient maps; and the reversibility of documented signal-intensity abnormalities on follow-up MR imaging.

RESULTS: MR imaging abnormalities accompanying marked elevation of serum creatinine (range, 4.3–11.7 mg/dL) were evident in the 10 patients. Nine patients had a history of chronic renal failure with expansile bilateral basal ganglia lesions, and 1 patient with acute renal failure had reversible largely cortical lesions. Two of 6 patients with available arterial blood gas results had metabolic acidosis. All basal ganglia lesions showed expansile high signal intensity (lentiform fork sign) on T2WI. Varied levels of restricted diffusion and a range of signal intensities on DWI were evident and were not correlated with serum Cr levels. All cortical lesions demonstrated high signal intensity on T2WI. Four patients with follow-up MR imaging after hemodialysis showed complete resolution of all lesions.

CONCLUSIONS: The lentiform fork sign is reliable in the early diagnosis of uremic encephalopathy, regardless of the presence of metabolic acidosis. Cytotoxic edema and/or vasogenic edema on DWI/ADC maps may be associated with uremic encephalopathy.