IMAGING OF LIMBIC PARANEOPLASTIC ENCEPHAL ITIS

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis is a rare syndrome mostly associate d with small cell lung cancer. We present the case of a 69-year-old ma n with selective amnesia suggesting limbic encephalitis. A neuroendocr ine cell lung cancer was found, confirming the diagnosis of paraneopla stic limbic encephalitis. Contrast-enhanced cerebral CT was normal whe ther magnetic resonance imaging showed signal abnormalities of the med ial part of temporal lobes and hippocampal regions. Because neurologic improvement may follow treatment of the primary tumor, early diagnosi s is important.