MRI OF SPINAL-CORD AND BRAIN-LESIONS IN SUBACUTE COMBINED DEGENERATION

Subacute combined degeneration is a rare cause of demyelination of the dorsal and lateral columns of the spinal cord and even more rarely of the pyramidal and spinocerebellar tracts and cerebellum. We present t he initial and follow-up MRI appearances in a patient with subacute co mbined degeneration of the spinal cord, brain stem and cerebellum, due to vitamin B-12 deficiency. The lesions in these structures were demo nstrated clearly as pathologically high-signal areas on T2-weighted im ages. These lesions, except those of the brain stem and cerebellum, di sappeared 4 months after therapy. MRI 14 months after the patient's di scharge on vitamin B-12 therapy showed the same picture.