REVERSIBLE BILATERAL CEREBRAL CHANGES ON MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING DURING ECLAMPSIA

History and clinical findings: Case 1:A 19-year-old primigravida was h ospitalised in the 24th week of pregnancy after a series of grand-mal seizures. Investigation showed the classical eclamptic triad of oedema , hypertension and proteinuria. Case 2: 6 days post-partum a 24-year-o ld primipara developed hypertension and typical clinical prodromi. Sub sequently she had a series of sometimes initially focal grand-mal seiz ures. Treatment and course: In both cases seizures ceased following ph armacological treatment. The pregnancy in the first case remained inta ct. Cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated characteris tic findings in both cases, in case 1 bilateral disseminated supratent orial foci of oedema without space-occupying features, in case 2 occip ital white matter oedema and several supratentorial foci. All changes were completely reversible, in case 1 after 10 days, in case 2 after 1 6 days. Conclusions: Together with the clinical findings the focal cha nges on MRI provide a characteristic picture. MRI can thus be an impor tant aid to the diagnosis of eclampsia and will prevent a misinterpret ation as focal encephalitis or venous sinus thrombosis.