FATAL CEREBRAL EDEMA AND INTRACRANIAL HEMORRHAGE ASSOCIATED WITH HYPERNATREMIC DEHYDRATION

We report neuroimaging findings of intracranial hemorrhage and cerebra l edema in an infant with obtundation and seizures, initially suspecte d to be secondary to nonaccidental trauma but finally attributed to hy pernatremic dehydration. Neuroimaging findings due to hypernatremic de hydration have not been previously described in the radiologic literat ure. Hypernatremia should be included in the differential diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage in the infant without evidence of nonaccident al trauma.