Multimodal imaging-monitored progression of stroke-like episodes in a case of MELAS syndrome

Clin Nucl Med. 2014 Mar;39(3):e239-40. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0b013e318286bd6f.

Abstract

We report imaging findings during, between, and after 2 stroke-like episodes in a 45-year-old woman with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome with an A32243G mitochondrial mutation 6 years before. In November 2010, for a first episode, she showed mixed aphasia with logorrhea, disinhibition, agitation, euphoria, and a large left temporoparietal lesion. Symptomatology progressively regressed under L-arginine treatment. She was readmitted in June 2011 for a second episode with great anxiety, disorientation, impaired face recognition, worsening mixed aphasia, and a new right temporal lesion. After additional L-carnitine treatment, she remained without relapse for 14 months.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Disease Progression*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • MELAS Syndrome / complications*
  • MELAS Syndrome / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multimodal Imaging*
  • Stroke / complications*
  • Stroke / pathology*