Hyperintensity of the basal ganglia and cortex on FLAIR and diffusion-weighted imaging: self-assessment module

Magnetic resonance imaging pattern recognition in childhood bilateral basal ganglia disorders

Bilateral basal ganglia abnormalities on MRI are observed in a wide variety of childhood disorders. MRI pattern recognition can enable rationalization of investigations and also complement clinical and molecular findings, particularly confirming genomic findings and also enabling new gene discovery. A pattern recognition approach in children with bilateral basal ganglia abnormalities on brain MRI was undertaken in this international multicentre cohort study. Three hundred and five MRI scans belonging to 201 children with 34 different disorders were rated using a standard radiological scoring proforma. In addition, literature review on MRI patterns was undertaken in these 34 disorders and 59 additional disorders reported with bilateral basal ganglia MRI abnormalities. Cluster analysis on first MRI findings from the study cohort grouped them into four clusters: Cluster 1-T2-weighted hyperintensities in the putamen; Cluster 2-T2-weighted hyperintensities or increased MRI susceptibility in the globus pallidus; Cluster 3-T2-weighted hyperintensities in the globus pallidus, brainstem and cerebellum with diffusion restriction; Cluster 4-T1-weighted hyperintensities in the basal ganglia. The 34 diagnostic categories included in this study showed dominant clustering in one of the above four clusters. Inflammatory disorders grouped together in Cluster 1. Mitochondrial and other neurometabolic disorders were distributed across clusters 1, 2 and 3, according to lesions dominantly affecting the striatum (Cluster 1: glutaric aciduria type 1, propionic acidaemia, 3-methylglutaconic aciduria with deafness, encephalopathy and Leigh-like syndrome and thiamine responsive basal ganglia disease associated with SLC19A3), pallidum (Cluster 2: methylmalonic acidaemia, Kearns Sayre syndrome, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency) or pallidum, brainstem and cerebellum (Cluster 3: vigabatrin toxicity, Krabbe disease). The Cluster 4 pattern was exemplified by distinct T1-weighted hyperintensities in the basal ganglia and other brain regions in genetically determined hypermanganesemia due to SLC39A14 and SLC30A10. Within the clusters, distinctive basal ganglia MRI patterns were noted in acquired disorders such as cerebral palsy due to hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy in full-term babies, kernicterus and vigabatrin toxicity and in rare genetic disorders such as 3-methylglutaconic aciduria with deafness, encephalopathy and Leigh-like syndrome, thiamine responsive basal ganglia disease, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration, TUBB4A and hypermanganesemia. Integrated findings from the study cohort and literature review were used to propose a diagnostic algorithm to approach bilateral basal ganglia abnormalities on MRI. After integrating clinical summaries and MRI findings from the literature review, we developed a prototypic decision-making electronic tool to be tested using further cohorts and clinical practice.

Imaging appearances of toxic and acquired metabolic encephalopathic disorders

Most imaging findings relating to toxic and acquired metabolic disorders follow a certain pattern with affinity to a specific topographic area, which can help narrow the differential diagnosis. This is especially useful when the clinical presentation can be variable and there is diagnostic uncertainty. Usually, there is bilateral symmetrical abnormality within the deep grey matter structures and the cerebral cortex because of the high metabolic activity and raised oxygen requirements in these areas. Magnetic resonance imaging, particularly diffusion weighted imaging and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequences, is very important in differentiating between various aetiologies in this group. Magnetic resonance imaging can be useful in demonstrating both acute and chronic damage, in evaluating treatment response and in disease prognostication. This pictorial review discusses the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging appearances of a spectrum of toxic and metabolic disorders observed in a district general hospital with reference to clinical presentation and imaging features that may allow diagnosis. This includes carbon monoxide poisoning, hypoglycaemia, non-ketotic hyperglycaemia, osmotic demyelination syndrome, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, the syndrome of delayed post-hypoxic leukoencephalopathy, hepatic encephalopathy and cocaine toxicity.