A case of Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis; the evidence of cerebellum involvement by SPM analysis using PET

Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2006 Jun;108(4):418-20. doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2005.01.012.

Abstract

Although the clinical manifestations such as drowsiness, brisk reflexes, extensor plantar responses and hemisensory disturbance usually are considered to suggest Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE) rather than Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), the nosological relationship between BBE and MFS has yet to be established. Herein, we report upon a 58-year-old man who showed ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and consciousness disturbance. In the absence of any abnormality on brain MRI, electrophysiological studies and SPM analysis using (18)F-FDG PET showed evidence of brainstem and cerebellum involvements.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Ataxia / etiology
  • Autoantibodies / immunology
  • Brain Stem / metabolism*
  • Brain Stem / pathology
  • Cerebellum / metabolism*
  • Consciousness Disorders / etiology
  • Encephalitis / complications
  • Encephalitis / immunology
  • Encephalitis / metabolism*
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / pharmacokinetics
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ophthalmoplegia / diagnosis
  • Ophthalmoplegia / etiology
  • Positron-Emission Tomography*
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / pharmacokinetics
  • Statistics as Topic

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18