Comparison of MRI, EEG, EPs and ECD-SPECT in Wilson's disease

Objectives - The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of a f ew methodologies in detecting anatomo-functional brain abnormalities in pat ients with Wilson's disease. Materials and methods Twenty-three patients wi th Wilsons disease underwent almost simultaneously brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized electroencephalography (EEG), multimodal evoke d potentials (EPs) and ECD single photon computerized tomography (SPECT) ev aluation. The clinical picture was of the neurologic type in 8 patients and of the hepatic type in 15. Results MRI was abnormal in 7 patients with neu rological manifestations. The EPs proved pathologic in 7 neurologically sym ptomatic patients and in 4 cases with hepatic form. These results agree wit h those reported in other case studies. The EEC records were abnormal only in 3 cases. Nevertheless, the most interesting finding of this study is the particular frequency (86%,) of diffuse or focal decrease of ECD uptake sho wn by brain SPECT. Conclusion - We highlight the use of this interesting pr ocedure in the therapeutic monitoring of this disease.