BILATERAL LATERAL GENICULITIS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE DIARRHEA

PURPOSE: We examined a 28-year-old woman who developed incongruous bin asal and, bitemporal visual field defects one week after having a febr ile gastroenteritis characterized by severe diarrhea while traveling i n Mexico. METHODS: The patient was treated with intravenous methylpred nisolone sodium succinate, 1 g daily for three days, followed by an ei ght-week course of oral prednisone. RESULTS: Neuroradiologic examinati on demonstrated bilaterally increased signal intensity within the late ral geniculate bodies. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis disclosed isolated protein increase. CONCLUSION: Severe diarrhea may be associated with an aseptic bilateral lateral geniculitis resulting in hourglass shaped visual fields. Corticosteroid therapy may provide mild improvement.