What do we know about brain contrast enhancement patterns in neuromyelitis optica?

Yeliz Pekcevik; Gunes Orman; In Ho Lee; Maureen A Mealy; Michael Levy; Izlem Izbudak

doi:10.1016/j.clinimag.2015.07.027

What do we know about brain contrast enhancement patterns in neuromyelitis optica?

Clin Imaging. 2016 May-Jun;40(3):573-80. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2015.07.027. Epub 2015 Jul 26.

Authors

Yeliz Pekcevik¹, Gunes Orman², In Ho Lee³, Maureen A Mealy⁴, Michael Levy⁵, Izlem Izbudak⁶

Affiliations

¹ The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital; Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Department of Radiology, Izmir, Turkey. Electronic address: yelizpekcevik@yahoo.com.
² The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital. Electronic address: gorman1@jhmi.edu.
³ The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital; Chungnam National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Korea. Electronic address: leeinho1974@hanmail.net.
⁴ Multiple Sclerosis & Transverse Myelitis Centers, Johns Hopkins University. Electronic address: mmealy1@jhmi.edu.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Neuromyelitis Optica Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital. Electronic address: mlevy@jhmi.edu.
⁶ The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Hospital. Electronic address: iizbuda1@jhmi.edu.

Abstract

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system that usually presents with acute myelitis and/or optic neuritis. Recently, some brain magnetic resonance imaging findings have been described in NMO that are important in the differential diagnosis. Pencil-thin, leptomeningeal, and cloud-like enhancement may be specific to NMO. These patterns are usually seen during relapses. Recognizing these lesions and enhancement patterns may expedite the diagnosis and allows early effective treatment. The purpose of this article is to review the latest knowledge and to share our experience with the contrast enhancement patterns of NMO brain lesions.

Keywords: Brain; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neuromyelitis optica; neuroimaging.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Brain / diagnostic imaging*
Contrast Media
Diagnosis, Differential
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging* / methods
Neuromyelitis Optica / diagnostic imaging*

Substances

Contrast Media

Grants and funding

K08 NS078555/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States