ECLAMPTIC ENCEPHALOPATHY - IMAGING AND PATHOGENETIC CONSIDERATIONS

Eclampsia is a rare condition peculiar to pregnant and puerperal women , characterized by clinical pre-eclampsia (hypertension, proteinuria, edema) and generalized seizures. Three cases of eclamptic encephalopat hy are reported: CT and MRI demonstrated transient abnormalities in th e cortical and subcortical regions of the posterior areas of the brain - namely, parietooccipital lobes - associated with occasional involve ment of basal ganglia and/or brainstem. Pathogenesis is still unclear. Strict similarity with the pathological findings characterizing hyper tensive encephalopathy suggests that a focal impairment in cerebral au toregulation may be the cause of vasodilation and fluid extravasation leading to hydrostatic edema; selective involvement of posterior areas could be explained by their lesser degree of adrenergic innervation s upporting circulatory autoregulation mechanisms.