Asymptomatic pontine myelinolysis. 2006

S S M Razvi, and J P Leach
Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, UK. s.razvi@clinmed.gla.ac.uk

A 43-year-old lady presented with bilateral foot drop due to alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy. There was no history of electrolyte disturbance or altered consciousness. Cranial nerve, bulbar and pyramidal symptoms and signs were absent. Nerve conduction studies confirmed the neuropathy. Inadvertently requested neuroimaging of brain demonstrated signal change typical of central pontine myelinolysis. Asymptomatic pontine myelinolysis occurs rarely in alcoholics in the absence of bulbar dysfunction. It is important for physicians to be aware of the clinical entity of asymptomatic pontine myelinolysis to avoid misinterpretation of abnormalities detected on cerebral imaging in alcoholic individuals.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D010523 Peripheral Nervous System Diseases Diseases of the peripheral nerves external to the brain and spinal cord, which includes diseases of the nerve roots, ganglia, plexi, autonomic nerves, sensory nerves, and motor nerves. Peripheral Nerve Diseases,Peripheral Neuropathies,PNS (Peripheral Nervous System) Diseases,PNS Diseases,Peripheral Nervous System Disease,Peripheral Nervous System Disorders,Nerve Disease, Peripheral,Nerve Diseases, Peripheral,Neuropathy, Peripheral,PNS Disease,Peripheral Nerve Disease,Peripheral Neuropathy
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000437 Alcoholism A primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. The disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distortions in thinking, most notably denial. Each of these symptoms may be continuous or periodic. (Morse & Flavin for the Joint Commission of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine to Study the Definition and Criteria for the Diagnosis of Alcoholism: in JAMA 1992;268:1012-4) Alcohol Abuse,Alcoholic Intoxication, Chronic,Ethanol Abuse,Alcohol Addiction,Alcohol Dependence,Alcohol Use Disorder,Abuse, Alcohol,Abuse, Ethanol,Addiction, Alcohol,Alcohol Use Disorders,Chronic Alcoholic Intoxication,Dependence, Alcohol,Intoxication, Chronic Alcoholic,Use Disorders, Alcohol
D017590 Myelinolysis, Central Pontine A demyelinating condition affecting the PONS and characterized clinically by an acute progressive QUADRIPLEGIA; DYSARTHRIA; DYSPHAGIA; and alterations of consciousness. Pathologic features include prominent demyelination in the central PONS with sparing of axons and neurons. This condition is usually associated with systemic disorders such as HYPONATREMIA; chronic ALCOHOLISM; LIVER FAILURE; severe BURNS; malignant NEOPLASMS; hemorrhagic PANCREATITIS; HEMODIALYSIS; and SEPSIS. The rapid medical correction of hyponatremia has been cited as a cause of this condition. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1125-6) Central Pontine Myelinolysis,Extrapontine Myelinolysis,Extrapontine Myelinoclasis,Myelinoclasis, Central Pontine,Pontine Myelinolysis, Central,Central Pontine Myelinoclasis,Extrapontine Myelinoclases,Extrapontine Myelinolyses,Myelinoclases, Extrapontine,Myelinoclasis, Extrapontine,Myelinolyses, Extrapontine,Myelinolysis, Extrapontine
D020233 Gait Disorders, Neurologic Gait abnormalities that are a manifestation of nervous system dysfunction. These conditions may be caused by a wide variety of disorders which affect motor control, sensory feedback, and muscle strength including: CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES; or MUSCULAR DISEASES. Ambulation Disorders, Neurologic,Charcot Gait,Charcot's Gait,Duck Gait,Gait Disorder, Sensorimotor,Gait Dysfunction, Neurologic,Gait, Athetotic,Gait, Broadened,Gait, Drop Foot,Gait, Festinating,Gait, Frontal,Gait, Hemiplegic,Gait, Hysterical,Gait, Reeling,Gait, Rigid,Gait, Scissors,Gait, Shuffling,Gait, Spastic,Gait, Stumbling,Gait, Unsteady,Gait, Widebased,Locomotion Disorders, Neurologic,Marche a Petit Pas,Neurologic Ambulation Disorders,Neurologic Locomotion Disorders,Rapid Fatigue of Gait,Sensorimotor Gait Disorder,Ambulation Disorder, Neurologic,Athetotic Gait,Broadened Gait,Charcot Gaits,Charcots Gait,Drop Foot Gait,Festinating Gait,Foot Gait, Drop,Frontal Gait,Gait Disorder, Neurologic,Gait Disorders, Sensorimotor,Gait Dysfunctions, Neurologic,Gait, Charcot,Gait, Charcot's,Gait, Duck,Gaits, Charcot,Hemiplegic Gait,Hysterical Gait,Locomotion Disorder, Neurologic,Neurologic Ambulation Disorder,Neurologic Gait Disorder,Neurologic Gait Disorders,Neurologic Gait Dysfunction,Neurologic Gait Dysfunctions,Neurologic Locomotion Disorder,Reeling Gait,Rigid Gait,Scissors Gait,Sensorimotor Gait Disorders,Shuffling Gait,Shuffling Gaits,Spastic Gait,Stumbling Gait,Unsteady Gait,Widebased Gait
D033162 Incidental Findings Unanticipated information discovered in the course of testing or medical care. Used in discussions of information that may have social or psychological consequences, such as when it is learned that a child's biological father is someone other than the putative father, or that a person tested for one disease or disorder has, or is at risk for, something else. Incidental Discovery,Discoveries, Incidental,Discovery, Incidental,Finding, Incidental,Findings, Incidental,Incidental Discoveries,Incidental Finding

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